Latest updates
- Methylphenidate suppliers and wholesalers are limiting the amount of stock going to pharmacies. This means, although there might be stock in the country, your pharmacist may not have any. Please be patient.
- Medsafe and Pharmac are changing the way ADHD medicines are prescribed and funded to make it easier for people to be diagnosed and treated. These changes will take effect later than originally proposed (1 February 2026) to make sure there is enough supply when they are put in place.
Decision to change the regulatory and funding restrictions for stimulant medicines for ADHD (pharmac.govt.nz)
About the supply issues
As understanding of ADHD grows, so does the need for the medicines that treat it. Demand for methylphenidate (used to treat ADHD and narcolepsy) has increased rapidly worldwide.
This, coupled with overseas manufacturing issues, has made the availability of different brands and strengths of these medicines unpredictable. Some products may come back into stock but may only be available temporarily and go out of stock at short notice.
Methylphenidate is a controlled drug, which means there are strict rules about how much of it can be brought into New Zealand. These rules are set by an international organisation called the International Narcotics Control Board.
Because of these rules, we can't quickly increase how much methylphenidate we import to New Zealand. The overseas companies that make methylphenidate also can't easily change how much they export from their factories. This can make it hard to get more of the medicine at short notice. Pharmac is working closely with suppliers and clinicians to manage this ongoing issue.
What this means for people who take ADHD medicine
There may be periods in 2025 where you won’t be able to get the brand of methylphenidate medication you normally use, or have to wait for more stock to arrive at your local pharmacy.
Suppliers and wholesalers are limiting the amount of methylphenidate going to pharmacies so, while there might be stock in the country, your pharmacist may not have any.
Please remember your pharmacist or doctor is not responsible for the lack of medicines. They will be trying to do what they can to help you.
What consumers can do
If you can’t get your ADHD prescription from your usual pharmacy, try contacting other pharmacies in case they have any in stock. Because this shortage affects all of New Zealand, it still may not be possible to get a supply of your medicine.
Note: you can only do this with a new prescription. You can’t transfer repeats between pharmacies.
If you are unable to fill your prescription after trying a few different pharmacies, contact the person who prescribed the medication for advice. You may need to discuss treatment options with your doctor, including whether you should be prescribed a different brand or strength of methylphenidate or a new medicine.
Switching brands
There are differences in how each of the longer acting methylphenidate brands work in your body, which affect people in different ways. If you experience any changes, please talk to the person who prescribed your medicine.
Because methylphenidate is a controlled drug with special authorities, you will need a new prescription when substituting between brands (for example Concerta and Teva).
Medsafe advises people be monitored when switching between brands. You can find the Medsafe guidance for prescribers on brand switching here:
Medsafe guidance on switching people between brands of long-acting methylphenidate (medsafe.govt.nz).
What Clinicians are doing
Clinicians have identified two patient groups needing priority access to methylphenidate: children and adolescents (who tolerate it better than some of the alternative ADHD medicines available) and people with narcolepsy.
While Pharmac works with suppliers to find more methylphenidate to bring into New Zealand, clinicians have been asked to prioritise these patients.
They have been advised not to start any patients new to ADHD treatments on extended-release methylphenidate unless absolutely necessary, and instead consider alternative, shorter duration, formulations
What Pharmac is doing
Pharmac is working closely with suppliers and clinicians to manage this ongoing, global issue and is working to source more methylphenidate for Aotearoa New Zealand.
Pharmac also removed the renewal criteria for all ADHD treatments and funded a new ADHD medicine, lisdexamfetamine. Talk to your prescriber about whether this medicine would be right for you.
Decision to remove the renewal criteria for stimulant treatments (pharmac.govt.nz)
Decision to fund lisdexamfetamine for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (pharmac.govt.nz)
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