Pharmac and Health New Zealand are seeking feedback on a proposal to expand pharmacy services. This proposal would allow community pharmacies to provide a wider range of funded clinical services for common conditions that may have otherwise required a GP visit, including: scabies treatment for children/families oral rehydration treatment for children headlice treatment for children/families pain and fever management for children conjunctivitis treatment for children trea

New brand: Nitrofurantoin tab 50mg Clinect brand Discontinuation: Nifuran tab 50mg and 100mg. We are writing to inform you of a brand change due to the discontinuation of Nifuran tab 50mg Key messages: Nifuran 50mg and 100mg tablets have been discontinued and will be delisted (no longer funded) 1 November 2026. The remaining stock of Nifuran 50mg tablets will expire October 2026. Nifuran 100mg tablet stock was depleted early 2025. New brand: Nitrofurantoin tab 50mg Clinec

We are writing to update you on how Pharmac is working with the recent changes to the Medicines Act 1981 that have been made to support the management of medicine supply issues. Key messages: Section 29 permits the sale or supply of an unapproved medicine to a medical practitioner, nurse practitioner or pharmacist prescriber for the treatment of a patient under their care. Section 29A permits the sale or supply of an unapproved medicine that is funded by Pharmac as an alt

Conflict in the Middle East Suppliers are working closely with Pharmac to reduce any disruption to people in New Zealand. Where issues arise, we will communicate them on our website and through this email. Conflict in the Middle East: Impact on the supply chain New medicine supply notices Candesartan (Candestar) 4 mg tablets Stock is low. An alternative has been listed, it has French labelling. A patient flyer with pictures is available for download. Isosorbide mononitrate

We are writing to inform you of the following: Discontinuation: Ipratropium bromide nebuliser soln, 250 mcg per ml, 2 ml ampoule (Univent) New listing: Ipratropium bromide nebuliser soln, 0.5mg per 2ml ampoule (Viatris) Ipratropium bromide nebuliser soln, 250 mcg per ml, 2 ml ampoule (Univent) has been discontinued. Remaining Univent stock is being reserved for ambulances. The alternate Section 29 Accord brand currently listed is expected to be depleted by May 2026. A secon

Pharmac has decided to fund two new combination treatments and widen access to ibrutinib for people with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) from 1 May 2026.Under this decision: People with CLL will be able to receive venetoclax with ibrutinib or venetoclax with obinutuzumab as first‑line treatments, meaning they can be used as an initial treatment option rather than after other treatments have been tried. Access to ibrutinib will be widened so it can be used on its own as a

Pharmac has decided to fund letermovir, a medicine that helps prevent serious viral infection in people with very weak immune systems. From 1 May 2026, letermovir will be funded 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. This decision follows public consultation and strong feedback from clinicians involved in stem cell transplant care, patient groups,

Pharmac is now consulting publicly on potential brand changes for medicines included in the 2025/26 annual tender. Consultation on possible brand changes through the annual tender This year, around a third of the over 400 items that were tendered may result in a brand change. We want to ensure that any decisions we make are informed by the experiences and needs of prescribers and the people they care for. Consultation opens on Wednesday 8 April and closes on Monday 4 May. M

We are pleased to announce our decision to widen access to nivolumab and ipilimumab for treatment of resectable melanoma. From 1 May 2026 , nivolumab in combination with ipilimumab will be funded for people with stage 3B to stage 4 melanoma that can be removed with surgery. This decision was informed by consultation feedback from people with melanoma, their whānau, advocacy groups, clinicians and other health sector stakeholders. You can read the full decision here: Decision

Below is the latest information on Pharmac consultations, notifications, and supply issues for Primary Care Prescribers for week 27 March 2026. It includes information on: New updates Resolved Supply Issues Supply issue: Dexamfetamine 5 mg tablets There is a supply issue affecting the Noumed brand of dexamfetamine 5 mg tablets. The supplier has advised that stock will be unavailable from April to June 2026. From 1 April, the Aspen brand of dexamfetamine 5 mg tablets will be

Kia ora, Please follow this link to our website for the March 2026 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

Conflict in the Middle East Suppliers are working closely with Pharmac to reduce any disruption to people in New Zealand. Where issues arise, we will communicate them on our website and through this email. Conflict in the Middle East: Impact on the supply chain New medicine supply notices Ensure: Pack size change Ensure powders are changing from 850 g to 800 g. The price remains the same. New Pharmacodes are listed from 1 April. New packs will start arriving during June 2026

We are writing to inform you of - Supply issue: Proctosedyl suppository. New alternative listed: Scheriproct suppository. Key messages: The supplier (AFT) has informed Pharmac that due to a delayed shipment that Proctosedyl suppositories are out of stock. Scheriproct suppositories have been listed (funded) on the Pharmaceutical Schedule. Scheriproct suppositories will be available in New Zealand by early April. Ultraproct suppositories have been out of stock for a long period

Kia ora This link will take you to the proposal to award Principal Supply Status for permanent coronary drug-eluting stents to Medtronic New Zealand Limited. A list of products included in the proposal is attached . Pharmac welcomes feedback on this proposal. To provide feedback, please submit it in writing by 4pm Tuesday 28 April 2026 to Sam.Edlund@Pharmac.govt.nz Ngā mihi, Sam Edlund | Procurement Manager _______________________________________________________________

Below is the latest information on Pharmac consultations, notifications, and supply issues for Primary Care Prescribers for week 20 March 2026. It includes information on: New updates Resolved Supply Issues Enoxaparin inj 100 mg per ml (1 ml syringe) (Clexane) For Primary Response in Medical Emergencies PRIME services Only the Enoxaparin inj 100 mg per ml (1 ml syringe) is funded on a Practitioner Supply Order (PSO) with an endorsement limiting funding to PRIME indications.

Acarbose (Accarb) 50 mg and 100 mg tablets Delays to shipments means there is limited stock available of the acarbose 50 mg (Pharmacode: 2402408) and 100 mg (Pharmacode: 2402416) tablets. Next shipment is expected by the end of the month. Dexamfetamine (Noumed) 5 mg tab (Pharmacode: 2647516) Stock levels are low at the supplier. An alternative is listed from 1 April 2026. It is Medsafe registered but contains gluten. Epoetin alfa (Binocrit) inj 40,000 iu in 1 ml (Pharmacod

Pharmac have now gone live with public consultation feedback on the Exceptional Circumstances Framework (the Framework) including the Named Patient Pharmaceutical Assessment (NPPA) . We would appreciate your help in sharing this consultation with your networks, particularly anyone who may have experience of, or interest in, the Exceptional Circumstances Framework. Patients, whānau, clinicians, and others have told us that the current Framework is no longer fit for purpose and

We are getting in touch to let you know that Pharmac is seeking feedback on the Exceptional Circumstances Framework (the Framework), and we’d like to hear from you. The Framework outlines how Pharmac considers funding requests for people with exceptional clinical circumstances when those circumstances fall outside the Pharmaceutical Schedule funding process. Patients, whānau, clinicians, and others have told us that the current Framework is no longer fit for purpose and can

Below is the latest information on Pharmac consultations, notifications, and supply issues for Primary Care Prescribers for week 13 March 2026. It includes information on: New updates Resolved Supply Issues Supply issue: hydrocortisone 5mg + cinchocaine 5mg (Proctosedyl) Suppositories An expected shipment has been delayed. This has resulted in a supplier out of stock of Proctosedyl suppositories. Proctosedyl ointment is available. Ultraproct suppositories have been out of st

New medicine supply notices Flumetasone pivalate (Locorten-Vioform) ear drops (Pharmacode 259799) There will be an out of stock until at least August 2026. The alternatives are Kenacomb (Pharmcode: 253634) and Sofradex (a part charge applies to Sofradex) (Pharmacode: 208728). Sodium Fusidate [fusidic acid] (Foban) Oint 2% (Pharmacode 2556189) The ointment may go out of stock. There is ample supply of the cream (Pharmacode: 2556170) to use as an alternative. Updated medicine