Pharmac - Widened access to eligibility criteria for Covid Antiviral Medicines

Kia ora.

Widened Access

We are writing to inform you that from 1 September 2025 the eligibility criteria have been widened for access to COVID-19 antivirals.

• The funded COVID-19 antivirals are nirmatrelvir with ritonavir tablets (Paxlovid) and remdesivir injection (Veklury).

  
  

The new addition to the eligibility criteria allows access for people who are 50 years and over and considered by their healthcare professional to be at high risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19 infection. Other access criteria remain the same.

Additional information about the criteria change and guidance to help identify patients who are at risk of severe illness with COVID-19 infection can be found on our Pharmac webpage Covid-19 antivirals.

BPAC has developed guidance to support health care professionals assess whether someone is at high risk of hospitalisation or death from COVID-19, this can be found on their website - BPAC^NZ | Access criteria for COVID-19 antivirals: Determine priority by need(external link).

Please share this information

Please share this information with your colleagues and within your networks.

Questions

If you have any queries, please contact us at enquiry@pharmac.govt.nz.

Ngā mihiDr David Hughes

David Hughes

Chief Medical Officer | Director Advice & Assessment

________________________________________________________________________________

Pharmac | Te Pātaka Whaioranga | PO Box 10 254 | Level 9, 40 Mercer Street, Wellington

DDI: +64 21 962 317 | P: +64 4 460 4990 |  www.pharmac.govt.nz