Drug safety notice: Morphine sulfate (MST CONTINUS®) 20mg, 30mg, 60mg, 100mg and 200mg prolonged release granules for oral suspension
March 1, 2021
All strengths of MST Continus® prolonged release granules for oral suspension are being permanently discontinued during 2021 due to difficulty sourcing a key excipient.
The following table provides information on anticipated out of stock dates for each presentation:
| Product details | Anticipated out of stock date |
| MST CONTINUS granules for suspension 20mg | Nov – 21 |
| MST CONTINUS granules for suspension 30mg | Aug – 21 |
| MST CONTINUS granules for suspension 60mg | Jun – 21 |
| MST CONTINUS granules for suspension 100mg | May – 21 |
| MST CONTINUS granules for suspension 200mg | Jan – 22 |
Advice / Alternatives:
- Alternative morphine sulfate presentations, both modified release and immediate release,remain available and will be able to support increased demand.
- All patients on morphine sulfate MST CONTINUS® will need to be reviewed to determine if ongoing opioid treatment is necessary.
- When switching to an alternative morphine sulfate a release formulation take into account current dosing regimen, i.e. is the preparation 12 hourly release or 24hourly release.
- If other modified release preparations of morphine sulfate are not suitable clinicians should consider prescribing:
- standard release preparations with as required doses for breakthrough pain
- opioid patches once pain control has been stabilised with as required doses for breakthrough pain
- Utilise opioid conversion tables located in the BNF when switching products.
- The only modified release Morphine preparations that are licensed to be manipulated to enable administration to patients with swallowing difficulties or who are being tube fed, are Zomorph ® and MXL® capsules
Click here to read the full Drug supply distribution alert: MST Continuous sachets 01-0321