Pharmac’s decision to change its rare disorders policy principles

From 1 November 2025, Pharmac will be updating its rare disorders policy principles by broadening the definition of a rare disorder. The new definition will be:

“a medical condition with a specific pattern of clinical signs, symptoms and findings that affects fewer than or equal to 1 in 2,000 people in Aotearoa New Zealand.”

This change aligns Pharmac’s policy with the Aotearoa New Zealand Rare Disorders Strategy 2024 and reflects the feedback we received from stakeholders and the community.

By updating our definition, we aim to enable more medicines to be assessed for funding earlier in the process and address known gaps where medicines have not previously been considered.

Decision to change Pharmac’s policy principles for funding rare disorder medicines

Ngā mihi,

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Pharmac | Te Pataka Whaioranga

PO Box 10 254, Wellington 6140 | Level 9, 40 Mercer Street, Wellington 6011

P: 0800 660 050 | www.pharmac.govt.nz