Cutting Red Tape To Improve Medicines Access
Associate Health Minister David Seymour welcomes Pharmac's decision to improve access to asthma inhalers and long-acting contraceptives from 1 August 2025.
'For the first time, Pharmac has its own Minister. Last year I outlined in my letter of expectations that Pharmac should have appropriate processes for ensuring that people, along with their carers and family, can participate in and provide input into decision-making processes around medicines – this is committed to in the Act-National Coalition Agreement,' Mr Seymour says.
'Since then, the culture shift at Pharmac has been positive. It has moved towards a more adaptable and people-centered approach to funding medicines. My expectation is that this will continue.'
Following a consultation period Pharmac has made decisions to:
· Improve access to some strengths of budesonide with eformoterol inhalers.
· Remove some of the barriers to Mirena and Jaydess intra-uterine devices (IUDs).
'From 1 August 2025 people will be able to get three-months supply of some budesonide with eformoterol inhalers all at once. Pharmac will also fund some budesonide with eformoterol inhalers on a Practitioners Supply Order (PSO), meaning doctors and nurses can keep some in their clinic for emergency use, teaching, and demonstrations,' Mr Seymour says.
'For the over 120,000 Kiwis using this type of inhaler the changes mean less visits to the pharmacy for resupply, better asthma management, and an extra option for supply in emergencies.
'Doctors and nurses will also be able to keep Mirena and Jaydess IUDs in their clinic and will be able to place them in the same appointment. Pharmac will fund these on a PSO to enable this.
'Current settings mean women need to get a prescription from their doctor or nurse, pick their IUD up from a pharmacy, and then bring it back to the clinic to be placed. Pharmac estimates over 21,000 women to benefit from these changes in just the first year of funding.
'People told Pharmac that these changes will make a real difference. They will make it easier for people with asthma to get the inhalers they need and improve access to long-acting contraceptives like Mirena and Jaydess. They make sense for people.
'People should have the opportunity to share what the impact of changes would be for them.
'The Government is doing its part. Last year we allocated Pharmac its largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, and a $604 million uplift to give Pharmac the financial support it needs to carry out its functions - negotiating the best medical deals for New Zealanders.'
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