What happens if my PrEP pills are broken or damaged?

Have you ever wondered about what happens to medication when it’s damaged?

Occasionally, we hear reports of some generic medicines in Australia splitting, separating, or becoming damaged. Sometimes this is because they get exposed to moisture in the air, or removed from their packaging. Sometimes this can be an overactive ingredient in the medication.

We had a chat with one of the generic PrEP manufacturers to find out what to do if you experience this. We can advise the following if you experience any damaged PrEP pills.

We recommend;

• Do not take the tablet if the visual appearance is not normal (ie there is a spilt down the length of the tablet).

• Return the defective tablet along with the original bottle or blister pack to the pharmacy. If the tablet was in a pack and you do not have the original pack, then just take what you have back to the pharmacy.

• Get a replacement. The pharmacy should provide the patient with a replacement bottle and seek a refund for the defective stock.

• The pharmacist should contact the supplier to arrange return or destruction of the defective stock. The supplier might decide to destroy the medication or have it returned to them to investigate further.

• The supplier will organise to reimburse the pharmacy for the defect stock so the pharmacy will not be out of pocket. You are not required to pay for more medication. It is the responsibility of the pharmacy to seek a refund.

• If the pharmacy does not issue you replacement medication, you can contact the Pharmacy Board of Australia

If you have any questions, concerns, or issues relating to your PrEP contact PAN at info@pan.org.au