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Pharmac - Supply Update
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
admin82291
Dec 8, 20252 min read


Changes to Prescribing gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogues for gender incongruence or gender dysphoria (puberty blockers)
From 19 December 2025, new prescriptions for GnRH analogues for the purpose of puberty suppression for children or adolescents with gender incongruence or gender dysphoria will no longer be permitted for patients who have not been prescribed a GnRH analogue previously. This follows Government regulations introduced on 17 November 2025. The new regulations are published online here: Medicines (Restriction on Prescribing Gonadotropin-releasing Hormone Analogues) Amendment Reg
admin82291
Dec 4, 20254 min read


Prescriber Update 46(4) December 2025
Kia ora The December 2025 edition of Prescriber Update is now available on the Medsafe website. Please can you share it with your networks. Kind regards Medsafe Pharmacovigilance Team
admin82291
Dec 4, 20251 min read


Proposal to fund a new strength of thiamine hydrochloride injection
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
admin82291
Dec 4, 20251 min read


Supply Issue - lanreotide inj 60 mg per 0.5 ml, 0.5 ml syringe (Mytolac)
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
admin82291
Dec 3, 20252 min read


admin82291
Dec 3, 20250 min read


admin82291
Dec 3, 20250 min read


admin82291
Dec 3, 20250 min read


admin82291
Dec 3, 20250 min read


Excess body weight and cancers
In a paper by Walsh et al, 1 there was concern expressed that excess body weight (EBW) contributes to many cancers in New Zealand, compounding health inequities with higher proportions of EBW-attributable cancers within Māori and Pacific populations. Pacific peoples had the highest population attributable fraction (PAF) (11.8%), and this was highest among Pacific females (16.1%). Māori also had a higher PAF (6.9%) than European/Other (4.5%). Early detection and prevention ar
admin82291
Dec 3, 20251 min read


Proposal to widen access to bortezomib for Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia
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
admin82291
Dec 2, 20251 min read


Amendment to the 2025/26 Invitation to Tender – 01 December 2025
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
admin82291
Dec 2, 20251 min read


Pharmac Update: Primary Care Prescribers | 28 November 2025
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
admin82291
Dec 1, 20255 min read


Ministry of Health - Medicinal Cannabis Agency
The Misuse of Drugs (Medicinal Cannabis) Regulations 2019 (the Regulations) set the minimum quality standard that medicinal cannabis products and ingredients must meet before they can be supplied in New Zealand. Importers, manufacturers, and suppliers must apply for assessment and provide evidence to the Medicinal Cannabis Agency to verify that their products meet the minimum quality standard. FlorX Full Spectrum CBD120 30 mL has been verified as meeting the minimum quality s
admin82291
Dec 1, 20251 min read


Discontinuation: amiloride hydrochloride 5 mg with furosemide 40 mg (Frumil tabs)
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
admin82291
Dec 1, 20251 min read


Pharmac consultation: Improving access to treatments in the community for trauma and medical emergencies, and ketamine for palliative care
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
admin82291
Dec 1, 20251 min read


New medicine supply notices
Flumetasone pivalate (Locorten-Vioform) ear drops (Pharmacode 259799) There may be some constrained supply as stock levels get low before the next shipment is released. But more stock should be available soon. FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus sensors: Recall (Pharmacode: 2691655) There is a recall affecting some batches of the FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus sensors. Levonorgestrel: The funded brand is changing (Pharmacode: 2645424) The brand for the emergency contraceptive pill is changing
admin82291
Dec 1, 20253 min read


Tender results
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
admin82291
Nov 27, 20251 min read


Pharmac decision to make HIV medicine access easier
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
admin82291
Nov 27, 20251 min read

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