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RNZ News
3 days ago
- Health
- RNZ News
Health Committee hears submissions on Medicines Amendment Bill
The Medicines Amendment Bill will continue to be considered by the Health Committee over the next two months. Photo: 123RF MPs on Parliament's Health Select Committee were told by the public this week that, while the government's Medicines Amendment Bill is a step in the right direction, changes are still needed to ensure it balances safety with efficiency. The bill, which amends the Medicines Act 1981, received its first reading in April, and is a component of a wider push by the government to loosen burdensome regulation across sectors. Under current settings, prescription medicines can take a long time to be approved, funded, and made available to the New Zealanders that need them. Historically, we have ranked well below the OECD average for access to medicines. In his oral submission on the bill, New Zealand Initiative chief economist Dr Eric Crampton suggested that New Zealand simply wasn't a desirable target market for medicine companies. "We are a small, relatively poor country at the far end of the world that will not be at the top of anyone's agenda in getting their regulatory affairs team to deal with paperwork… It can take years after a drug has been approved by at least two markets overseas before anybody puts it into the New Zealand approvals process." In his submission, Crampton mentioned the concept of an "invisible graveyard," referring to the people who may have died or been harmed as a consequence of not having access to unapproved medicines. The Medicines Amendment Bill seeks to shake up the status quo, improving patients' access to medication by doing three things. Primarily it would introduce what has been dubbed as 'the rule of two', whereby if a medication has been approved for use in two recognised overseas regulators, Medsafe (New Zealand's medicines regulator), can bypass its usual, often lengthy, assessment process. The government hopes this will reduce the time it takes for new medicines to reach patients. The recognised overseas regulators are those from Australia, Canada, the EU, UK, USA, Switzerland and Singapore. As well as these fast-tracking medicine approvals, the bill also expands the power to prescribe medicine to a wider range of healthcare professionals, such as nurse practitioners, midwives, dentists, and optometrists, so long as the medication falls within their scope of practice. Thirdly, the bill updates some of the settings around the Medicines Classification Committee, which makes recommendations to the Minister of Health around how new medicines should be classed. This week the Health Committee also heard from Dr Graeme Jarvis, CEO of Medicines New Zealand, which represents pharmaceutical companies. While in support of the bill's intent, he told MPs, it needs refinement in order to better achieve its goal outcomes. When asked by Labour's spokesperson for Health Ayesha Verrall, why he was sceptical of the automatic approvals that Dr Crampton had suggested to the committee earlier, Dr Jarvis suggested that doing so would create "unintended consequences around parallel importing and other activities". "People flood the market, and the product may not necessarily be what you think it is, you may end up with counterfeit products coming in. There is no clawback for the regulator to go after a sponsor who has been acting in an unsatisfactory manner." When New Zealand lawmakers look outward for policy inspiration, they tend not to just throw a dart at a map on the wall and hope for the best. There are generally agreed comparable countries, commonly drawn on as case studies for good lawmaking here, which vary depending on the topic. The Medicines Amendment Bill's 'rule of two' provisions reflects this tradition, using a familiar set of jurisdictions in its list of recognised overseas regulators. Members of the Wellington Community Justice Project, a volunteer group made up of Victoria University law students, suggested to the Health Committee that while these overseas regulators have been historically reliable, that does not mean they always will be. "While the bill allows the minister to make rules for verification through secondary legislation so they can be refined to reflect changes in best international practice, we feel as though there needs to be something within the text of the bill itself, ensuring that the regulatory authorities themselves are regularly assessed and upheld to the standards of best international practice," the students told the committee. They went on to cite the current changes being made to the United States FDA, which has long been the world leader in approving medicine. "The FDA's placement on this list, most notably for the reason that the FDA is currently headed by RFK Jr, a health secretary who has been described as a conspiracy theorist, and relevant to this bill, has cancelled or frozen billions of dollars of research grants for the development of the medicines. Clearly, this bill [will outlast] RFK Junior's appointment. However, this example illustrates the need for a process to review the regulatory authorities in Section 22A, so when the questions arise about jurisdictions' suitabilities to be on the two-step verification process, these are able to be addressed." The Medicines Amendment Bill will continue to be considered by the Health Committee over the next two months, before being reported back to the House by the 9 August. You can listen to the audio version of this story by clicking the link near the top of the page. *RNZ's The House, with insights into Parliament, legislation and issues, is made with funding from Parliament's Office of the Clerk.
Irish Times
4 days ago
- General
- Irish Times
Mental Health Bill bypassing health committee ‘sets a dangerous precedent', says chair
Bringing the Mental Health Bill straight to the Dáil and bypassing the Oireachtas health committee is 'not in line with best practice' and 'sets a dangerous precedent for the rest of this term', its chairman has said. Last week, Minister for Mental Health Mary Butler secured Cabinet approval of the Government's committee-stage amendments to the bill, which will significantly overhaul the State's mental health laws. A spokesman for the Minister said 'given the already busy agenda' of the Health Committee, she decided to bring the Bill to the floor of the Dáil 'where every Deputy will have the opportunity to speak on the committee-stage amendments to the Bill'. [ Admitting a patient without consent and not treating them isn't 'care' - it's imprisonment Opens in new window ] Pádraig Rice, chairman of the health committee, wrote to the Minister on Thursday criticising this decision. READ MORE Mr Rice, the Social Democrats ' spokesman on health, said the committee had agreed to undertake extra sessions each week to progress the Bill. 'It is therefore with disappointment, and some frustration, that we learned [on Wednesday] of your plans to bypass the joint committee and bring the Bill straight to the Dáil,' his letter said. 'This Bill is of significant importance and deserves due consideration. Taking this Bill and the hundreds of amendments that are being proposed and expected in the Dáil is not in line with best practice, does the issue a disservice and sets a dangerous precedent for the rest of this term.' Mr Rice said following his appointment as chair, he expressed an intention to 'work in a spirit of co-operation and partnership with Government and opposition alike'. 'I would appreciate if a similar approach was reciprocated,' he added, requesting the Minister to reconsider her decision. A spokesman for the Minister said she is 'determined to ensure the Mental Health Bill progresses to enactment before the end of the year'. 'The Bill has been in development for many years, and received support from all sides of the house at second stage last autumn. 'This is far from unprecedented, and many bills have been taken through committee stage on the floor of the House. As Chief Whip, the Minister will ensure the Bill is afforded ample time on the Dáil schedule to allow all of the amendments to be debated fully,' the spokesman said. If enacted, the new mental health bill will regulate the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (Camhs) and other community services for the first time. It will also allow 16- and 17-year-olds the right to consent to mental healthcare as they already can for physical health. Under amendments brought to Cabinet this week, an individual who is involuntarily admitted to an acute psychiatric unit can be detained for up to 42 days, an increase on the 21 days previously proposed under the bill.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
‘This is long enough': Nursing home residents seek raise in $50 personal needs stipend, 40 years in the making
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — Nursing home residents collecting a monthly $50 personal needs allowance as part of their Medicaid check say they want an increase. It's been the same dollar amount since 1983. Many bills have been introduced to help get more money, but none have reached the necessary step of being signed by the Governor. 'Most seniors, they just accept, sometimes what they are given,' nursing home resident Deborah Leary said. 'But the minute you bring it up to anyone… 'Oh, it would be wonderful to get that changed.' Deborah Leary is a resident at Monroe County Hospital. She is also spearheading efforts to increase the $50 monthly stipend for nursing home residents. 'The first thing was to research the number of nursing homes,' Leary told News 8 Tuesday. 'So I did that. Just under 600… got their addresses and phone numbers. Then I went and connected with Senators and Assemblyman that belonged to each nursing home.' Attorney representing Danforth/Hudson Ridge residents weighs in on concerns From there, Leary created a petition and called all 600 nursing homes in New York, reaching around 400. PetitionDownload 'By calling the nursing homes, having them put out an activity of people signing the petitions, it's the volume to go into the state and assemblymen to say 'This is long enough.' We do need something more than $50,' Leary said. Leary said although essentials are mainly taken care of inside a nursing home, such as medical and daily necessities, the increase would help them feel more independent and secure. 'You want to get a haircut? That's about half your paycheck, right there,' she said. 'Even if you're in your nursing home, we do like to do a little other things, and it's impossible with $50.' The current bill was most recently referred to the Health Committee of the State Senate in February. State Senators Pam Helming and Jeremy Cooney co-sponsored a previous version of the bill, which also stopped at the Health Committee. Senator Cooney told News 8 in a statement 'it is past time to raise the allowance to reflect the realities of current costs of living and make life more manageable for our older adults. […] I'll continue to advocate for an increase on behalf of New Yorkers in need. Leary said she won't stop advocating, too. She told News 8, however, her first and biggest obstacle is getting the voices of larger nursing homes in the state to sign her petition. She also wants to see local representatives in the nursing home. 'So it's still in up front and center in their minds, because they'll be out on recess, so that when they go back, it's there, and hopefully they'll take care of it,' Leary said if those first two stages fail, she plans to write a letter to Governor Kathy Hochul and email it to all the nursing homes so they can sign it. She also asks anyone who is passionate about seeing the allowance increase to email their local representatives. For more information on how to do so, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Times of Oman
20-05-2025
- Health
- Times of Oman
Al Dakhiliyah Municipal Council reviews multiple development projects, proposals
Nizwa: The Municipal Council of Al Dakhiliyah Governorate, chaired by Sheikh Hilal Said Al Hajri, Governor of Al Dakhiliyah and Chairman of the Municipal Council, reviewed during its meeting on Tuesday the Ministry of Health's plans for the governorate for 2025/2026, along with several other topics of relevance. The meeting addressed the sewage project in the Heritage Area of the Wilayat of Nizwa, submitted requests regarding housing schemes across various wilayats of the governorate, and the establishment of new public parks. Discussions also covered the outcomes of the Council's Health and Environmental Affairs Committee. At the conclusion of the meeting, the minutes of the standing committees' meetings were reviewed to take appropriate actions.
STV News
14-05-2025
- Politics
- STV News
Assisted dying in Scotland is not a done deal
Despite a much bigger parliamentary vote than anyone had expected, legalised assisted dying in Scotland is still far from a done deal. MSPs voted by 70 to 56 to support the general principles of Liam McArthur's Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults Bill. There are currently 128 MSPs following the death of Christina McKelvie, that leaves two votes unaccounted for. Health secretary Neil Gray abstained to maintain his neutrality as the minister who will have to deal with the Bill as it now starts to progress through the Parliamentary system. And the other is Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone, who did not vote, although if it had been a tied vote of 63 each, she would have voted for the Bill at Stage 1 to allow it to continue. So that gives the Bill a majority of 14. That was much bigger than either side in this debate had predicted, but it could easily be overturned in the final vote at Stage 3 if just seven MSPs change their minds. Just off the top of my head I can come up with seven MSPs who said they were voting for the Bill at Stage 1 but could reconsider when it gets to the final decision. It's the position Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay took. Others said yesterday they would do the same including Miles Briggs, Ross Greer, Emma Harper, Daniel Johnson, Colin Smyth and Brian Whittle. That's seven potential switchers already. And if the final Stage 3 vote is tied the Presiding Officer would vote against, sticking with the convention of preserving the status quo. None of that takes anything away from the historic vote in the Scottish Parliament yesterday. It came after one of the best debates Holyrood has hosted where speaker after speaker from all parties gave of their best, and gave much more of themselves than usual. It was a respectful and emotional debate. Every speech was applauded. It was a debate befitting the life and death nature of the subject. What it does is show that this debate is far from over. What comes next is Stage 2 where the Health Committee will consider amendments. There will be a lot of amendments – Liam McArthur has already said he will change the qualifying age from 16 to 18. There will be many more on things like defining the word 'terminal', whether doctors should opt in or out of it. The Royal College of Pharmacists want their members to have to an opt in to fulfilling prescriptions for the life ending drugs. The Scottish Parliament doesn't actually have power over those drugs so would have to seek a Section 30 Order from Westminster, just like it did for the 2014 Independence Referendum, so that is not guaranteed. Then there is the timing of the next stages. The Health Committee is not likely to start Stage 2 scrutiny until after the summer break. That could take a couple of months, which means the final vote at Stage 3 is unlikely until the New Year. Then it will be just a few months from the Scottish Parliament election which means this could be an issue in that campaign. Even though Stage 1 was a free vote, based on each MSP's conscience with no party direction, every single one of them were inundated by messages from constituents on both sides of the debate. That could take on even more significance in the run-up to an election, and they could face questions at public hustings and meetings. So this is far from a done deal, assisted dying is closer than it has ever been, but it is still a long way from law. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
