Pharmac Update: Primary Care Prescribers | 13 March 2026
- Mar 16
- 3 min read
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:
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 stock for a long period. Pharmac have sourced an alternative suppository - Scheriproct, we will update the website when this is available.
Supply issue: ticagrelor tab 90 mg (Sandoz)
Due to shipping delays, Sandoz expects to run out of ticagrelor 90mg tab by mid-March 2026. An alternative brand Ticagrelor Mylan 90mg tab was listed from 1 March 2026. This is not a Medsafe approved product and will need to be prescribed and dispensed in line with Section 29A of the Medicines Act.
Ticagrelor Mylan is from the Italian market. The box will be over labelled with English text, and the blister packs will have some Italian text. For more information and images please see – Ticagrelor on Pharmac website
Discontinuation: Humalog, Humulin NPH, Humulin 30/70, Humulin R 10 ml insulin vials.
The supplier Eli Lilly is discontinuing 4 insulins in the 10ml vial presentation. Please begin transitioning your patients to suitable alternatives.
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 ml vial | End June 2026 |
Insulin neutral | Humulin R | Inj human 100 u per ml, 10 ml vial | End March 2026 |
There is information regarding use of insulin and changes in the supply of various insulins. NZSSD website - external link
Decision to widen access to existing medicines and fund a new medicine for the treatment of cystic fibrosis
Pharmac has made a decision to widen access to Trikafta and Kalydeco, and to fund Alyftrek for the treatment of cystic fibrosis.
From 1 April 2026, the following changes will be implemented for people with eligible mutations:
Widened access to Trikafta (elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor)
Widened access to Kalydeco (ivacaftor)
Funding of a new medicine, Alyftrek (vanzacaftor/tezacaftor/deutivacaftor)
This decision follows consultation with people with cystic fibrosis, their families, healthcare professionals and advocacy groups. Feedback received helped inform and improve access settings for these medicines.
You can read the full decision here:
Pharmac proposal: Updating the Pharmaceutical Schedule for ambulance medicines, and tenecteplase for pre-hospital careFrom 1 July 2026, Pharmac will take over responsibility for funding medicines used in ambulances. This consultation seeks feedback on changes to the Pharmaceutical Schedule which supports this decision.
Bringing ambulance medicines into the Pharmaceutical Schedule will help to ensure a more coordinated approach to funding and procurement decisions for emergency medicines, whether they are used in hospitals, ambulances or by PRIME providers.
Under this proposal, we would also fund tenecteplase for use within emergency ambulance services and Primary Response in Medical Emergencies (PRIME) services.
We are now inviting feedback on this proposal:
Consultation is open until 5pm on 2 April 2026. You can provide feedback by emailing consult@pharmac.govt.nz, or using the online form linked in the consultation document.
Please share this information with people you think might be interested.
Decision to widen access to brentuximab vedotin for systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma
We have made the decision to widen access to brentuximab vedotin for systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma from 1 April 2026. We expect this will improve the lives of around 12-13 people in New Zealand per year.
Thank you to all those who provided feedback in response to the consultation, your feedback is appreciated. You can find more information on this decision on the Pharmac website including our responses to key points raised by consultees.
Resolved Supply Issues:
Supply issues are marked as resolved when stock arrives in the country and is released to wholesalers. After this, it can take another 1-2 weeks for pharmacies to receive stock, depending on where they are located around New Zealand.
Alfacalcidol (One-Alpha) Cap 1 mcg
Chlortalidone [Chlorthalidone] (Hygroton) Tab 25 mg
Isoniazid with rifampicin (Rifinah) Tab 100 mg with rifampicin 150 mg
Nonacog gamma, [Recombinant Factor IX] (RIXUBIS) Inj 1,000, 2,000 and 3,000 iu vial (Takeda)
