Package Leaflet: Information for the User
Actiq 200 micrograms lozenges with integrated oral applicator
Actiq 400 micrograms lozenges with integrated oral applicator
Actiq 600 micrograms lozenges with integrated oral applicator
Actiq 800 micrograms lozenges with integrated oral applicator
Actiq 1200 micrograms lozenges with integrated oral applicator
Actiq 1600 micrograms lozenges with integrated oral applicator
fentanyl
Read all of this leaflet carefully before you start using this medicine because it contains important information for you.
Contents of the pack and other information:
Actiq contains the active substance fentanyl, a potent analgesic belonging to the group of opioids. Actiq is presented as lozenges with an integrated oral applicator.
DO NOT use Actiq:
DO NOT use Actiq if you are in any of the above situations. If you are not sure, consult your doctor or pharmacist BEFOREusing Actiq.
Warnings and precautions
During treatment with Actiq, continue to use the opioid pain medicine you are taking for your persistent cancer pain.
Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children and in a safe place to prevent abuse or theft (see section 5 Storing Actiqfor more information).
Consult your doctor or pharmacist BEFOREyou start using Actiq if:
Consult your doctor DURINGtreatment with Actiq if:
Long-term use and tolerance
This medicine contains fentanyl, an opioid. Repeated use of opioid analgesics can make the medicine less effective (the body gets used to it, which is known as pharmacological tolerance). It is also possible that you may become more sensitive to pain when using Actiq. This is known as hyperalgesia. Increasing the dose of Actiq may continue to reduce pain for a while, but it can also be harmful. If you notice that the medicine is becoming less effective, consult your doctor. Your doctor will decide whether it is best for you to increase the dose or gradually reduce the use of Actiq.
Dependence and addiction
This medicine contains fentanyl, which is an opioid. It can cause dependence and/or addiction.
Repeated use of Actiq can also lead to dependence, abuse, and addiction, which can result in a potentially life-threatening overdose. The risk of these side effects may be greater with higher doses and longer use. Dependence or addiction can cause a feeling of lack of control over the amount of medicine you need to use or how often you need to use it. You may feel the need to continue using the medicine even if it does not help relieve pain.
The risk of dependence or addiction varies from person to person. The risk of becoming dependent on or addicted to Actiq may be greater if:
If you notice any of the following symptoms while using Actiq, it could be a sign of dependence or addiction.
If you notice any of these signs, consult your doctor to determine the best treatment for you, when it is appropriate to stop the medicine, and how to do it safely.
Seek medical advice URGENTLYif:
Children and adolescents
Actiq is not recommended for children and adolescents under 16 years of age.
Use in athletes
This medicine contains fentanyl, which can produce a positive result in doping tests.
Other medicines and Actiq
Do not use this medicine and inform your doctor or pharmacist:
Tell your doctor or pharmacist before using Actiq if you are taking or have recently taken or might need to take any other medicines. This includes medicines obtained without a prescription and herbal remedies. In particular, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are using any of the following medicines:
However, if your doctor prescribes Actiq with sedative medicines, the dose and duration of concomitant treatment should be limited by your doctor.
If you need to undergo surgery that requires general anesthesia, consult your doctor or nurse.
Using Actiq with food, drinks, and alcohol
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, think you may be pregnant, or plan to become pregnant, consult your doctor or pharmacist before using this medicine.
Pregnancy
Actiq should not be used during pregnancy unless you have discussed it with your doctor.
If Actiq is used for long periods during pregnancy, there is a risk that the newborn may suffer from withdrawal syndrome, which can be life-threatening if not recognized and treated by a doctor (see section 4 “Other side effects, frequency not known”).
Do not use Actiq during labor because it can cause breathing difficulties in the newborn.
Breastfeeding
Fentanyl can pass into breast milk and cause side effects in the breastfed child. Do not use Actiq if you are breastfeeding. You should not start breastfeeding until at least 5 days after the last dose of Actiq.
Driving and using machines
This medicine may affect your ability to drive or use certain tools or machines. Consult your doctor about the safety for you of driving or using certain tools or machines in the hours following the use of Actiq.
Do not drive or use machines if: you feel drowsy or dizzy; you have blurred or double vision; you have difficulty concentrating. It is important that you know how Actiq affects you before driving or using machines.
Actiq contains glucose
This medicine contains approximately 1.89 grams of glucose per dose. This should be taken into account in patients with diabetes mellitus. Patients with glucose or galactose absorption problems should not take this medicine.
It can cause tooth decay.
Actiq contains sucrose
This medicine contains sucrose. Patients with hereditary fructose intolerance (HFI), glucose or galactose absorption problems, or sucrase-isomaltase insufficiency should not take this medicine.
It can cause tooth decay.
Actiq contains sodium
This medicine contains less than 23 mg of sodium (1 mmol) per lozenge; it is essentially “sodium-free”.
Follow your doctor's instructions for taking this medication exactly. If you are in doubt, consult your doctor or pharmacist again.
Before starting treatment and regularly during treatment, your doctor will also explain what you can expect from using Actiq, when and for how long you should use it, when you should contact your doctor, and when you should stop using it (see also section 2).
When you start using Actiq for the first time, your doctor will work with you to find the dose of Actiq that relieves your breakthrough pain. It is very important that you use Actiq exactly as your doctor has instructed.
How the medicine enters the body
When you put Actiq in your mouth:
The fact that you use the medicine in this way allows it to be absorbed quickly, which means rapid relief from breakthrough pain.
Determining the correct dose
You should start to feel relief quickly while using Actiq. However, until you and your doctor determine the dose that effectively controls breakthrough pain, you may not feel sufficient pain relief 30 minutes after starting to use a unit of Actiq (15 minutes after finishing the Actiq lozenge). If this happens, your doctor may allow you to use a second Actiq lozenge of the same dose to treat the same episode of breakthrough pain.
Do not use a second unit unless your doctor tells you to. Never use more than two units to treat a single episode of breakthrough pain.
During dose determination, you may need to have units of Actiq of different concentrations at home. However, keep only the concentrations of Actiq that you need at home. This helps prevent possible confusion and overdose. Consult your pharmacist on how to dispose of unused units of Actiq.
How many units should be used
Once you have determined the correct dose with your doctor, use 1 unit for an episode of breakthrough pain. Consult your doctor if your correct dose of Actiq does not relieve breakthrough pain over several consecutive episodes of breakthrough pain. Your doctor will decide if it is necessary to change the dose.
You must inform your doctor immediately if you use Actiq more than four times a day, as you may need a change in your treatment regimen. Your doctor may change the treatment for persistent pain; when the persistent pain is controlled, your doctor may need to change the dose of Actiq. If your doctor suspects increased sensitivity to pain related to Actiq (hyperalgesia), a reduction in your dose of Actiq may be considered (see section 2 "Warnings and precautions"). To get the best results, inform your doctor about the pain you are experiencing and how Actiq is working, so the dose can be changed if necessary.
Using the medicine
Opening the packaging -Each unit of Actiq is sealed in its own blister packaging.
Using the Actiq unit
Frequency of Actiq administration
Once you have achieved a dose that effectively controls your pain, do not use more than four units of Actiq per day. If you think you may need more than four units of Actiq per day, you must notify your doctor immediately.
How many units of Actiq to use
Do not use more than two lozenges for a single episode of breakthrough pain.
If you use more Actiq than you should
The most common side effects if you use too much are drowsiness, dizziness, and nausea.
What to do if a child or adult accidentally uses Actiq
If you believe someone has accidentally used Actiq, seek medical help immediately. Try to keep the person awake (by calling their name or shaking their arm or shoulder) until medical help arrives.
If you forget to take Actiq
If breakthrough pain still persists, you should use Actiq as your doctor has instructed. If the breakthrough pain disappears, do not use more Actiq until another episode of breakthrough pain appears.
If you stop treatment with Actiq
You should stop Actiq when you no longer have breakthrough pain. However, you should continue taking your usual opioid painkiller for persistent cancer pain, as your doctor has instructed. When you stop treatment with Actiq, you may experience withdrawal symptoms similar to the possible side effects of Actiq. If you experience withdrawal symptoms or are concerned about pain relief, you should consult your doctor. Your doctor will assess whether you need medication to reduce or eliminate withdrawal symptoms.
If you have any other questions about using this medication, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everyone gets them. If you notice any side effect, contact your doctor.
Serious side effects
You or your caregiver should REMOVE the Actiq unit from the mouth, contact your doctor immediately, and seek urgent help if you experience any of the following side effects – you may need urgent medical attention:
Note for caregivers:
If you observe that the patient using Actiq has slow and/or shallow breathing or has difficulty waking up, TAKE THE FOLLOWING MEASURES IMMEDIATELY:
If you feel excessively dizzy, sleepy, or experience any other discomfort while using Actiq, remove the Actiq unit from your mouth using the applicator and dispose of it according to the instructions explained in this leaflet (see section 5). Then, contact your doctor for new instructions on using Actiq.
Nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, fatigue, weakness, dizziness, and low blood pressure.
Together, these symptoms can be a sign of a potentially life-threatening disease called adrenal insufficiency, a disease in which the adrenal glands do not produce enough hormones.
Other side effects
Very common:may affect more than 1 in 10 people
Common:may affect up to 1 in 10 people
Uncommon:may affect up to 1 in 100 people
Frequency not known
The following side effects have also been reported with the use of Actiq, but the frequency with which they may occur is unknown:
Prolonged treatment with fentanyl during pregnancy can cause withdrawal symptoms in the newborn, which can be life-threatening (see section 2).
While using Actiq, you may experience irritation, pain, and ulcers at the application site and gum bleeding.
Reporting side effects
If you experience any side effects, consult your doctor or pharmacist, even if they are possible side effects that do not appear in this leaflet. You can also report them directly through the Spanish Medicines Monitoring System for Human Use: https://www.notificaram.es. By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
Keep this medicine in a safe and protected place, where others cannot access it. This medicine can cause serious harm and even be fatal for people who use it accidentally or intentionally when it has not been prescribed for them.
The painkiller in Actiq is very potent and could be potentially fatal for a child if used accidentally. Actiq must be kept out of sight and reach of children.
How to dispose of Actiq once used
Partially used units of Actiq may still contain enough medicine to be harmful or potentially fatal to a child.
Even if there is no medicine left in the applicator, the applicator must be disposed of properly, as follows:
Medicines should not be disposed of through wastewater or household waste. Deposit the packaging and medicines you no longer need in the SIGRE collection point at the pharmacy. If in doubt, ask your pharmacist how to dispose of the packaging and medicines you no longer need. This will help protect the environment.
Actiq Composition
Lozenge:
Hydrated dextrates (equivalent to approximately 1.89 grams of glucose), citric acid, disodium phosphate, artificial berry flavor (maltodextrin (contains glucose), propylene glycol (E1520), artificial flavors, and triethyl citrate), magnesium stearate.
Edible adhesive used to attach the lozenge to the applicator:
Modified cornstarch-based edible starch (E 1450), confectioner's sugar (as sucrose and cornstarch), water.
Printing ink:
Water, desiccated white shellac, synthetic coal tar blue dye (E 133), and ammonium hydroxide to adjust the pH (E527).
Product Appearance and Container Content
Each Actiq lozenge consists of a solid white to off-white medication attached to an oral mucosal applicator. During storage, the lozenge may acquire a slightly speckled appearance. This is due to slight changes in the product's flavoring and does not affect the medication's action in any way.
Actiq is available in 6 different doses: 200, 400, 600, 800, 1,200, and 1,600 micrograms. The dose is marked on the white lozenge, the applicator, the blister pack, and the carton to ensure that you use the correct one. Each dose is associated with a specific color.
Each blister pack contains a single unit of Actiq.
The blisters are supplied in boxes of 3, 6, 15, or 30 individual units of Actiq.
Only some package sizes may be marketed.
Marketing Authorization Holder and Manufacturer
Marketing Authorization Holder
Teva Pharma B.V.
Swensweg 5, 2031 GA Haarlem
Netherlands
Manufacturer
Merckle GmbH
Ludwig-Merckle-Strasse 3
89143 Blaubeuren
Germany
Local Representative
Teva Pharma, S.L.U.
C/ Anabel Segura 11 Edificio Albatros B 1ª planta,
Alcobendas 28108, Madrid (Spain)
Date of the Last Revision of this Prospectus:March 2025
Detailed and updated information on this medication is available on the website of the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS) http://www.aemps.gob.es/
The average price of ACTIQ 1600 micrograms, ORAL LOZENGES WITH INTEGRATED ORAL APPLICATOR in October, 2025 is around 140.84 EUR. Prices may vary depending on the region, pharmacy, and whether a prescription is required. Always check with a local pharmacy or online source for the most accurate information.