Pharmac

Pharmac is calling for new funding applications for medicines for rare disorders ahead of our Rare Disorders Advisory Committee meeting. We know that people with rare disorders face challenges including access to suitable health care and accessing effective medicines. We are committed to a regular call for applications for medicines for rare disorders. We are asking for new applications from pharmaceutical suppliers so we can consider taking them to our next meeting on  Wedne

Following feedback, Pharmac has decided not to proceed with a proposal to decline some low-ranked applications on the Options for Investment (OFI) list. We heard from a wide range of people - clinicians, professional groups, patient advocates, individuals and pharmaceutical companies. People told us that while they understood our aim was to improve transparency, they did not want us to remove funding applications from the OFI. We’ve listened carefully and appreciate the time

Kia ora   We are writing to inform you of two new listings:   aripiprazole 300 mg and 400mg injection (Abilify Maintena)   Key Date: Both of these products will be listed (funded) from 1 January 2026   Key messages: Abilify Maintena can now be administered by intramuscular injection into either the gluteal or deltoid muscle. The previous listed (funded) products did not include the extra needle to use for deltoid  administration. The package with needle for deltoid administra

Below is the latest information on Pharmac consultations, notifications, and supply issues for Primary Care Prescribers for week 12 December 2025. It includes information on:  New updates Resolved Supply Issues Pharmac funding both Estradot and Estradiol TDP Mylan brands of oestradiol patches From 1 December 2025, the funded brands of oestradiol patches will be Estradiol TDP Mylan and Estradot. Everyone who uses funded oestradiol patches will need to use either of these brand

Acetylcysteine (DBL Acetylcysteine) Inj 200 mg per ml, 10 ml ampoule  (Pharmacode 2260794) Pfizer's DBL Acetylcysteine will not be available from late December 2025 to March 2026. An alternative has been listed. Amoxicillin (Ibiamox) Inj 250 mg vial  (Pharmacode: 2272628) Douglas, the supplier, expects to go out of stock of the following product by mid-December because of higher-than-normal demand and shipping delays. Resupply is expected by the end of December. Emtricitabine

Below is the latest information on Pharmac consultations, notifications, and supply issues for Primary Care Prescribers for week 05 December 2025. It includes information on:  New updates Resolved Supply Issues Pharmac funding both Estradot and Estradiol TDP Mylan brands of oestradiol patches From 1 December 2025, the funded brands of oestradiol patches will be Estradiol TDP Mylan and Estradot. Everyone who uses funded oestradiol patches will need to use either of these brand

We are writing to remind you of the delist (no longer funded) date of the 10mg presentations of clomipramine (capsules and tablets). Key Points: •          The delist date from the Pharmaceutical Schedule is 1 April 2026 •          Clomipramine 25mg presentations will remain available and listed on the Pharmaceutical Schedule •           Please continue to consider alternative options for patients that require the lower 10mg dose   Please share this inf

New medicine supply notices Frumil (amiloride and furosemide): Discontinuation  (Pharmacode: 2125536) The supplier is discontinuing Frumil tablets. This is a global discontinuation. Supplies are likely to run out in February 2026. A flyer is available to support conversations with affected people. Mometasone furoate (Elocon) Oint 0.1% 50 g pack  (Pharmacode: 2395746) Because of recent unusually high sales, the supplier is out of stock of the Elocon ointment 50 g pack. All oth

Pharmac is seeking feedback on a proposal to fund a new strength of thiamine hydrochloride injection: 50 mg per ml in a 2 ml ampoule. Pharmac currently funds two strengths of thiamine hydrochloride injection: 100 mg per ml (1 ml and 2 ml vials) 125 mg per ml (2 ml vial) These would continue to be funded alongside the proposed 50 mg per ml (2 ml ampoule). If approved, this new strength would be funded from 1 April 2026.  Proposal to fund a new strength of thiamine hydrochlorid

New listing: We are writing to inform you of a brand change for lanreotide inj 60 mg per 0.5 ml, 0.5 ml syringe (Mytolac). Due to a supply issue with the Mytolac brand we have an alternate brand funded and available.   Key messages: lanreotide inj 60 mg per 0.5 ml, 0.5 ml syringe ( Mytolac ) brand is in short supply due to manufacturing delays. Alternative   Mytolac Section 29 product was listed (funded) 1 July 2025. Mytolac S29 - The outer box is in English with Mytolac  as

We want your feedback on a proposal to widen access to bortezomib for people with Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia (WM), a rare type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Pharmac included bortezomib in the 2024/25 invitation to tender, and as a result of a price reduction, Pharmac is now proposing to widen access to bortezomib from 1 February 2026. If approved, this would allow people with Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia to receive bortezomib as an initial treatment or following treatment

Pharmac has amended the 2025/26 Invitation to Tender with the following updates: Added:  thiamine hydrochloride inj 100 mg per ml, 1 ml Amended:   bupivacaine hydrochloride with adrenaline inj 0.25% with 1:400,000 of adrenaline, 20 ml non-sterile pack  → bupivacaine hydrochloride with adrenaline inj 0.25% with 1:400,000 of adrenaline, 20 ml bupivacaine hydrochloride with adrenaline inj 0.5% with 1:200,000 of adrenaline, 20 ml non-sterile pack  → bupivacaine hydrochloride with

Below is the latest information on Pharmac consultations, notifications, and supply issues for Primary Care Prescribers for week 28 November 2025. It includes information on:  New updates Resolved Supply Issues Pharmac funding both Estradot and Estradiol TDP Mylan brands of oestradiol patches From 1 December 2025, the funded brands of oestradiol patches will be Estradiol TDP Mylan and Estradot. Everyone who uses funded oestradiol patches will need to use either of these brand

Discontinuation:   We are writing to inform you of a discontinuation: amiloride hydrochloride 5 mg with furosemide 40 mg (Frumil tabs)    Key messages: It is estimated that Frumil stock will run out by the end of February 2026 Please consider prescribing a funded, Medsafe registered, suitable alternative for affected patients. Amiloride 5mg tablets are not Medsafe approved and will need to be prescribed and dispensed in line with Section 29 of the Medicines Act.  Our webpage

Please follow this link to the  Pharmac consultation regarding improving access to treatments in the community for trauma and medical emergencies, and ketamine for palliative care. We want to make sure that everyone who needs to know about this proposal is aware of it. Please share this information with people you think might be interested. Ngā mihi Pharmac | Te Pātaka Whaioranga | P: +0800 660 050|  www.pharmac.govt.nz

Kia ora,  Please follow this  link  to our website for the November 2025 Tender Notification. Ngā mihi, Stefanie Moir | Tender Analyst Te Pātaka Whaioranga | Pharmac | PO Box 10 254 | Level 9, 40 Mercer Street, Wellington | P: 0800 660 050 |  www.pharmac.govt.nz

From 1 March 2026 all HIV medicines will be able to be dispensed in three-month amounts, rather than monthly, making it easier for people to manage their treatment. In October, we consulted on three changes to the way New Zealanders access HIV medicines. Thank you to all those who provided feedback. In response to this feedback, we have delayed the proposed effective date from 1 December 2025 to 1 March 2026 to give everyone more time to adapt. We also decided not to remove

We are writing to inform you that Sanofi, the supplier of isoniazid 100mg with rifampicin 150mg ( Rifinah ) tab, has advised of a supply issue due to delays with manufacturing. The current stock has the expiry date 30 November 2025.    Key messages: An alternative brand Rifamazid  has been listed (funded) from 1 December 2025. This is an unapproved medicine and as such needs to be prescribed and dispensed in line with section 29 of the Medicines Act. It is estimated it will b

We want your feedback on a proposal to fund nitisinone for people with rare inherited metabolic disorders, including tyrosinemia type 1 and alkaptonuria. Nitisinone is currently funded through Pharmac’s Named Patient Pharmaceutical Assessment (NPPA) pathway. Under this proposal, it would be listed on the Pharmaceutical Schedule, making it easier for clinicians to prescribe and helping ensure ongoing supply in New Zealand. More information about the proposal is available here

This link  will take you to the proposal to enter into an agreement for sterilisation and decontamination equipment and associated consumable medical devices supplied by Steris New Zealand Limited (“Steris”). Steris’ range of medical devices are proposed to be listed on the Pharmaceutical Schedule under a Pharmac agreement from 1 February 2025. A list of products included in the proposal is attached .  Pharmac welcomes feedback on this proposal.  To provide feedback, please