Zoladex AKA A Key Endometriosis And Breast Cancer Drug Pulled From Aussie Pharmacies

People living with hormone receptor‑positive breast cancer, endometriosis and adenomyosis are facing new uncertainty after confirmation that a medication many rely on will be taken off the market in Australia.

Zoladex (goserelin) 3.6mg is a monthly hormone implant used to slow the growth of some breast cancers in pre‑menopausal women and to manage severe pelvic pain by switching off oestrogen.

From November 1 of this year, it will no longer be available on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) or via private prescription, after manufacturer AstraZeneca chose to discontinue it.

What is actually changing?

In a statement to PEDESTRIAN.TV, an AstraZeneca spokesperson said: “AstraZeneca is discontinuing ZOLADEX (goserelin) monthly (3.6 mg) implant from Australia. The ZOLADEX monthly implant will not be available on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) and will also not be available for patients to purchase via a private prescription from November 2026.”

The company described this as “a global AstraZeneca decision to change the dose options available in some countries, and not related to the safety or efficacy of ZOLADEX”.

Australia’s Department of Health has confirmed that goserelin 3.6mg will be delisted from the PBS on November 1 2026 at AstraZeneca’s request, and says the company “has chosen to remove the medicine from the PBS for commercial reasons”.

The Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) has warned that taking the product off the PBS will lead to “unmet clinical need”, especially because there are currently no other PBS‑listed options that play the same role in hormone receptor‑positive breast cancer and anticipated premature ovarian failure.

What will stay on the market?

The change only applies to the monthly 3.6mg implant. AstraZeneca told P.TV that “the ZOLADEX (goserelin) three monthly implant (10.8 mg) will remain available to Australian patients. The ZOLADEX three monthly implant is currently registered and reimbursed in Australia for eligible prostate cancer patients”.

The company also said it “has prepared government regulatory and reimbursement applications to expand availability and access of ZOLADEX three monthly implant to include breast cancer patients that are hormone receptor positive as soon as possible”.

Other gonadotropin‑releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists will remain on the PBS for some prostate cancer and endometriosis indications, but advocates are still worried about gaps for particular breast cancer and fertility‑related uses.

Why endometriosis and adenomyosis advocates are worried

Endometriosis Australia says the move will hit people who are already dealing with long delays and limited options. In a statement, it said it is “deeply concerned by the announcement that Zoladex (goserelin 3.6 mg) will be withdrawn from the Australian market later this year”.

The organisation described Zoladex as “an important part of the therapeutic toolkit for managing severe symptoms and improving quality of life” for “thousands of Australian women living with endometriosis and adenomyosis”, and added that “while it is not a cure, it has provided meaningful relief for many women whose treatment options are already limited”.

It also warned that “women with endometriosis already face an average diagnostic delay of many years, repeated surgery, significant out‑of‑pocket costs and substantial impacts on education, employment and fertility. Removing an established treatment option risks further narrowing an already constrained pathway to care”.

Endometriosis Australia’s medical director, Associate Professor Anusch Yazdani, said: “Women with endometriosis already fight hard enough to access care. Australia cannot afford to make that journey even harder by allowing essential treatment options to quietly disappear.”

The organisation emphasised that the move “is understood to be a commercial one rather than one related to the safety or effectiveness of the medication”, and urged that “women currently receiving treatment should not stop therapy without discussing their individual circumstances with their treating specialist”.

What breast cancer advocates are pushing for

Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA) has focused on trying to make sure people with breast cancer are not left without support when the 3.6mg implant disappears.

BCNA said in a statement that “BCNA has undertaken coordinated advocacy with consumers, clinicians and other key stakeholders to raise concerns directly with AstraZeneca on behalf of people with breast cancer impacted by this medication change”.

It says that, as a result, “a number of options will be made available to support people with breast cancer”, including a new access scheme: “Eligible patients who do not have suitable alternative treatment options will be able to access Zoladex 3.6mg free of charge through a new access program, expected to begin from 1 November and run initially for six months.”

BCNA also confirmed that “AstraZeneca has submitted an application to make the three‑monthly Zoladex 10.8mg implant available on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) for hormone‑receptor positive breast cancer patients”, and said it is “continuing to work closely with clinicians, consumers and key stakeholders to help achieve a longer‑term solution and minimise disruption for people affected by breast cancer”.

AstraZeneca’s access program and what patients are being told

“We understand that maintaining continuity of care is essential for patients who need access to the ZOLADEX monthly implant as a treatment option,” AstraZeneca’s spokesperson told P.TV.

“For eligible patients without alternative treatment pathways, AstraZeneca will provide free access to the ZOLADEX monthly implant in Australia following its discontinuation in Australia from 1 November 2026. The access program will be initiated from 1 November 2026 for six months. The access program will be reviewed every six months to ensure it provides appropriate support for eligible patients,” the spokesperson continued.

The company added: “We are working urgently to provide more information about the ZOLADEX Access Program to clinicians. Patients should consult their clinicians about their future treatment options.”

Health authorities are giving similar advice, saying patients should talk to their specialists well before November 2026 about how this change might affect their treatment and what alternatives or access options are available.