Pharmac To Fund Two Brands Of Oestradiol Patches From 1 December 2025
People will be able to use either brand of patch, subject to availability. From this date, the other currently funded brands of oestradiol patches will no longer be funded.
'We know how important it is for people to have access to the treatment that works best for them,' says Pharmac's Manager of Pharmaceutical Funding, Adrienne Martin. 'We've heard very clearly from many people, that while different brands of patches should work the same, this is not everyone's experience.
'That's why we're funding two brands – so that people can access the oestradiol patches they need, depending on availability.'
Earlier this year, Pharmac asked for feedback on a proposal to fund both the Estradot and Estradiol TDP Mylan brands of oestradiol patches. More than 1,100 people responded to the consultation.
'Most people supported the proposal, especially the continued funding of Estradot. Some people expressed concerns about also funding the Estradiol TDP Mylan brand, while others wanted more brands funded alongside Estradot.
'We want to thank everyone who took the time to share their experiences with menopause and using oestradiol patches,' says Martin. 'Your feedback has had a real impact on this decision.'
Pharmac has secured as much Estradot as the supplier can provide. However, global supply issues remain. Demand for oestradiol patches has increased significantly in New Zealand and internationally, and the manufacturer of Estradot has not been able to produce enough to meet this growing demand.
'There may still be times when Estradot isn't available for everyone who needs it,' says Martin. 'That's why having another funded brand available is so important.'
To help manage supply, both brands will continue to have a '2 patch per week' limit on each strength. People will also continue to receive one month's supply at a time from their pharmacy.
We heard from people who wanted us to remove the patch limit and change the dispensing rules,' says Martin. 'We acknowledge how frustrating these limits are for people but changing or removing them would put pressure on demand, which would increase the risk of these patches not being available.
'We will review the patch limit and dispensing rules in 12 months depending on the supply outlook.'
Pharmac will continue to monitor supply and work to ensure people can access the treatments they need.
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