Pharmac

Kia ora   Supply Issue:   We are writing to inform you that due to shipping delays, Sandoz expects to run out of ticagrelor 90mg tab by mid-March 2026.   Key Dates: It is estimated that ticagrelor 90mg tab (Sandoz) stock will be depleted by mid-March An alternative brand Ticagrelor Mylan 90mg tab was listed from 1 March 2026   Key messages: Ticagrelor Mylan is from the Italian market. The box will be over labelled with English text, and the blister packs have Italian text. Ti

Below is the latest information on Pharmac consultations, notifications, and supply issues for Primary Care Prescribers for week 06 March 2026. It includes information on:  New updates Resolved Supply Issues Changes to antiretroviral dispensing – effective 1 March 2026 From 1 March 2026, all listed  antiretroviral  (Community Schedule)  treatments changed to 90‑day dispensing and may be prescribed and dispensed accordingly where appropriate.  Supply issue: ticagrelor tab 90 m

Pharmac has asked suppliers to notify us early of any supply risks, so we can act sooner and support ongoing access to medicines and medical devices. Read more Have your say We’re consulting on upcoming changes to how the Pharmaceutical Schedule will work. Changes to how the Pharmaceutical Schedule will work  (consultation closes 13 March 2026) New medicine supply notices   Proctosedyl (suppositories)  Unfortunately, AFT (the supplier) has run out of Proctosedyl suppositories

Pharmac is seeking feedback on a proposal to fund letermovir, a medicine that helps prevent serious viral infection in people with very weak immune systems. Under this proposal, letermovir would be funded from 1 May 2026 for people who have had a stem cell transplant, as well as a small number of other people with severe immunosuppression who cannot use other funded antiviral medicines. We have heard from clinicians involved in stem cell transplant care and from Pharmac’s cli

Below is the latest information on Pharmac consultations, notifications, and supply issues for Primary Care Prescribers for week 27 February 2026. It includes information on:  New updates Resolved Supply Issues Changes to Antiretroviral Dispensing – Effective 1 March 2026 From 1 March 2026, all listed antiretroviral  (community schedule)  treatments will default to 90‑day dispensing and may be prescribed and dispensed accordingly where appropriate.  Improving access to treatm

We are writing to remind you that clomipramine capsules 10mg will be delisted (no longer funded.)   Key Points: The delist date from the Pharmaceutical Schedule is 1 April 2026 Clomipramine 25mg tablets 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 information with your colleagues and within your networks. If you have any queries, please contac

We’re consulting on upcoming changes to how the Pharmaceutical Schedule will work. Changes to how the Pharmaceutical Schedule will work  (consultation closes 13 March 2026) New medicine supply notices Pedialyte: Claiming update   Urgent action required: Pharmacies need to check any claims they made for Pedialyte in February 2026. See the website for more details. Ticagrelor (Tab 90 mg)  (Pharmacode: 2638770) The supplier anticipates running out in mid-March. A S29 alternative

Pharmac is seeking feedback on a proposal to widen access to nivolumab and ipilimumab for people with stage 3B to stage 4 melanoma that can be removed with surgery. If approved, funded access to these medicines would be widened from 1 May 2026. For more information on this consultation, read the full proposal to widen access to nivolumab and ipilimumab for resectable melanoma We welcome your feedback. Consultation is open until 5pm Monday 9 March 2026. Please send your feedb

Pharmac is seeking feedback on a proposal to widen access to nivolumab and ipilimumab for people with stage 3B to stage 4 melanoma that can be removed with surgery. If approved, funded access to these medicines would be widened from 1 May 2026. For more information on this consultation, read the full proposal to widen access to nivolumab and ipilimumab for resectable melanoma We welcome your feedback. Consultation is open until 5pm Monday 9 March 2026. Please send your feedb

We are writing to inform you that from 1 March 2026, the following treatments will be available in the community via listing in Section B of the Pharmaceutical schedule:   For Primary Response in Medical Emergencies PRIME services Droperidol inj 2.5 mg per ml (1 ml ampoule) Glucose inj 5% (100 ml bag) Glucose inj 10% (500 ml bag) Ketamine inj 100 mg per ml (2 ml vial) Methoxyflurane solution for inhalation 999 mg per g (3 ml bottle and plastic inhaler, and 3 ml bottles) Trane

Below is the latest information on Pharmac consultations, notifications, and supply issues for Primary Care Prescribers for week 20 February 2026. It includes information on:  New updates Resolved Supply Issues Improving access to treatments in the community for trauma and medical emergencies, and ketamine for palliative care From 1 March 2026, the following treatments will be available and funded on the Community Schedule: For Primary Response in Medical Emergencies PRIME se

New medicine supply notices Chloramphenicol (Devatis) Eye ointment 1% (Pharmacode: 2576902) Supplies of this product are low due to a shortage of the active ingredient. The eye drops are available as an alternative.  Dexamethasone phosphate (Medsurge) Inj 4 mg per ml, 2 ml ampoule  (Pharmacode: 2690535) The supplier has limited stock of the 2 ml ampoule. There is stock of the 1 ml ampoule. Olanzapine (Zypine ODT) 10 mg orodispersible tablets (Pharmacode: 2439840) Due to man

Supply Issue:   We are writing to inform you that the supplier Teva has advised Pharmac that it is unable to provide teriparatide injection. Pharmac are listing an alternate product.   Key Dates: The Teva brand will be unavailable from the end of February 2026. The resupply date is not yet confirmed. An alternative - Forteo brand will be listed (funded) on the Pharmaceutical Schedule from 1 March 2026   Key messages: The Forteo brand was previously supplied to the New Zealand

From 1 March 2026 Pharmac is funding ferric derisomaltose (Monofer) in hospitals for people who have experienced serious reactions after other iron infusions. In January, we consulted on a proposal to fund ferric derisomaltose (Monofer) in hospitals for people who have developed hypophosphataemia after an iron infusion. The feedback we have received was supportive. However, clinicians told us a small number of patients who experience serious reactions to other funded iron tr

Pharmac is seeking feedback on a proposal to fund two new treatment combinations for people with previously untreated chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL), a type of blood cancer. Under this proposal, venetoclax with ibrutinib and venetoclax with obinutuzumab would be funded as first‑line treatment options from 1 May 2026. These combinations aim to give people access to targeted therapies earlier, supporting longer‑lasting remission and reducing the need for hospital visits. W

From 1 March 2026 Pharmac is funding ferric derisomaltose (Monofer) in hospitals for people who have experienced serious reactions after other iron infusions. In January, we consulted on a proposal to fund ferric derisomaltose (Monofer) in hospitals for people who have developed hypophosphataemia after an iron infusion. The feedback we have received was supportive. However, clinicians told us a small number of patients who experience serious reactions to other funded iron tr

Below is the latest information on Pharmac consultations, notifications, and supply issues for Primary Care Prescribers for week 13 February 2026. It includes information on:  New updates Resolved Supply Issues Discontinuation: Sensocard blood glucose test strips The supplier has just advised Pharmac that it will be discontinuing Sensocard blood glucose test strips for visually impaired people. The last stock expired at the start of February 2026. Pharmaco CareSens N is avail

Pharmac is redeveloping the Pharmaceutical Schedule to be better aligned with modern funding arrangements and digital standards. The Schedule was first published in 1994 and has grown significantly over the last three decades. As its scope has expanded, so has the complexity of the products and funding arrangements it needs to reflect. The digital systems that support the Schedule are also outdated and need replacing to ensure information can be updated quickly and consistent

We are writing to inform you that t he supplier Eli Lilly are discontinuing 4 insulins in the 10ml vial presentation. The 3ml penfill presentations remain available.   Insulin Type Brand Presentation Date Supplier stops selling Insulin lispro  Humalog Inj 100 u per ml, 10 ml vial End June 2026 Insulin isophane Humulin NPH  Inj human 100 u per ml, 10 ml vial End June 2026 Insulin isophane with insulin neutral  Humulin 30/70 Inj human with neutral insulin 100 u per ml, 10 m l

We’re letting you know that Pharmac has made a decision to change the funded access criteria for infliximab, etanercept, secukinumab and rituximab.These changes update the Special Authority and Hospital Indication Restrictions for these medicines to simplify and align the criteria where possible. Most of the changes relate to wording and consistency, and the overall intent of the criteria remains the same. However, in some instances we have made more substantive changes, incl