August 2019 tender notification

PHARMAC has resolved to award tenders for Sole Subsidised Supply Status and Hospital Supply Status for some products included in the 2017/18 Invitation to Tender dated 2 November 2017, and the 2018/19 Invitation to Tender dated 1 November 2018.

Some of the pharmaceuticals that will be delisted when the period of Sole Subsidised Supply/Hospital Supply Status commences may be subject to existing listing contracts with PHARMAC. Suppliers of pharmaceuticals that are subject to such contracts should continue to supply their pharmaceuticals under those contracts. PHARMAC will continue to subsidise those pharmaceuticals accordingly until such time as those pharmaceuticals are delisted.

Notification of Product Changes (NOPC) forms, Containered Trade Product Pack (CTPP) codes and Pharmacodes

Please note that for any changes (price change, pack size change, new listing etc) to be effective in the Pharmaceutical Schedule (including Section H), suppliers are required to notify any changes to PHARMAC and the Pharmacy Guild of New Zealand by:

  • For new listings, by 4pm on the 12 September 2019 or the 5th of the month prior to listing, whichever is earlier
  • For price changes, by 4pm on the 12th of the month prior to the date of subsidy change

PHARMAC cannot list a product (and pharmacies cannot claim) without this information. 

More information about this process and NOPC forms can be found on our website.

Suppliers are required to ensure that a Pharmacode has been obtained from the Pharmacy Guild of New Zealand(external link)  and that a CTPP code has been obtained from the New Zealand Universal List of Medicines(external link). Pharmacodes and CTPP codes must be provided to PHARMAC by the 5th of the month prior to the date of listing, or 10 business days following the market notification date (whichever is earliest). PHARMAC cannot list a product (and pharmacies cannot claim) without the correct Pharmacode.

2017/18 Tender – Sole Subsidised Supply Status or Hospital Supply Status applies until 30 June 2021

Community pharmaceutical tenders – Section B of the Pharmaceutical Schedule

1. Tenders awarded to currently listed pharmaceuticals where no other brand is listed.

The decisions were as follows:

Chemical name

Presentation;
Pack size and type

Current
pack price

New
pack price

Sole supply brand
(Supplier)

Date of subsidy change

Sole Subsidised Supply date

Norethisterone

Tab 5 mg;
100 tablet blister pack

$18.29

$18.29

Primolut N
(Bayer)

1 October 2019

1 January 2020

2. Tenders awarded to pharmaceuticals where at least one other brand is listed.

The decisions were as follows:

Chemical name

Presentation;
Pack size and type

Current
pack price

New
pack price

Sole supply brand (Supplier)

Date of listing

Date of reference pricing of other listed brands

Sole Subsidised Supply date

Brand (Supplier) affected by reference pricing and delisting

Ibuprofen

Tab long-acting 800 mg;
30 tablet blister pack

$7.99

$5.99

Ibuprofen SR BNM
(Boucher)

1 February 2020

1 April 2020

1 July 2020

Brufen SR
(Mylan)

Hospital pharmaceutical tenders – Section H of the Pharmaceutical Schedule

3. Tenders awarded to currently listed pharmaceuticals where no other brand is listed.

The decisions were as follows:

Chemical name

Presentation;
Pack size and type

Current
pack price

New
pack price

Hospital supply brand
(Supplier)

DV
Limit

Date subsidy change

Hospital Supply Status date

Norethisterone

Tab 5 mg;
100 tablet blister pack

$18.29

$18.29

Primolut N
(Bayer)

1%

1 October 2019

1 December 2019

4. Tenders awarded to pharmaceuticals where at least one other brand is listed.

The decisions were as follows:

Chemical name

Presentation;
Pack size and type

Current pack price

New pack price

Hospital supply brand (Supplier)

DV Limit

Listing date

Hospital Supply Status date

Brand (Supplier) affected by delisting

Ibuprofen

Tab long-acting 800 mg;
30 tablet blister pack

$7.99

$5.99

Ibuprofen SR BNM
(Boucher)

1%

1 February 2020

1 April 2020

Brufen SR
(Mylan)

2018/19 Tender – Sole Subsidised Supply Status or Hospital Supply Status applies until 30 June 2022

Community pharmaceutical tenders – Section B of the Pharmaceutical Schedule

5. Tenders awarded to currently listed pharmaceuticals where no other brand is listed.

The decisions were as follows:

Chemical name

Presentation;
Pack size and type

Current
pack price

New
pack price

Sole supply brand
(Supplier)

Date of subsidy change

Sole Subsidised Supply date

Phenoxymethylpenicillin (Penicillin V)

Grans for oral liq 125 mg per 5 ml;
100 ml bottle

$1.48

$2.99

AFT
(AFT)

1 October 2019

1 January 2020

Phenoxymethylpenicillin (Penicillin V)

Grans for oral liq 250 mg per 5 ml;
100 ml bottle

$1.58

$3.99

AFT
(AFT)

1 October 2019

1 January 2020

Tamsulosin hydrochloride [current access]

Cap 400 mcg;
100 capsule blister pack

$11.25

$17.73

Tamsulosin-Rex
(Rex Medical)

1 October 2019

1 January 2020

6. Tenders awarded to pharmaceuticals where at least one other brand is listed.

The decisions were as follows:

Chemical name

Presentation;
Pack size and type

Current
pack price

New
pack price

Sole supply brand (Supplier)

Date of listing/subsidy change

Sole Subsidised Supply date

Brand (Supplier) affected by delisting

Calcium folinate

Inj 10 mg per ml, 5 ml vial;
1 vial pack

$4.55

$7.28

Calcium Folinate Sandoz
(Novartis)

1 October 2019

1 March 2020

Calcium Folinate Ebewe inj 50 mg
(Novartis)

Chloramphenicol

Eye oint 1%;
5 g tube OP

$2.48
(4 g OP)

$1.55
(5 g OP)

Deva
(Deva)

1 December 2019

1 May 2020

Chlorsig
(Aspen)

Enalapril maleate

Tab 5 mg;
100 tablet bottle pack

$3.84

$1.82

Acetec
(Mylan)

1 January 2020

1 June 2020

Ethics Enalapril
(Multichem)

Enalapril maleate

Tab 10 mg;
100 tablet bottle pack

$4.96

$2.02

Acetec
(Mylan)

1 January 2020

1 June 2020

Ethics Enalapril
(Multichem)

Enalapril maleate

Tab 20 mg;
100 tablet bottle pack

$7.12

$2.42

Acetec
(Mylan)

1 January 2020

1 June 2020

Ethics Enalapril
(Multichem)

Hospital pharmaceutical tenders – Section H of the Pharmaceutical Schedule

7. Tenders awarded to currently listed pharmaceuticals where no other brand is listed.

The decisions were as follows:

Chemical name

Presentation;
Pack size and type

Current
pack price

New
pack price

Hospital supply brand
(Supplier)

DV
Limit

Date of subsidy change

Hospital Supply Status date

Calcium folinate

Inj 10 mg per ml, 5 ml vial;
1 vial pack

$4.55

$7.28

Calcium Folinate Sandoz
(Novartis)

1%

1 October 2019

1 January 2020

Phenoxymethylpenicillin (Penicillin V)

Grans for oral liq 125 mg per 5 ml;
100 ml bottle

$1.48

$2.99

AFT
(AFT)

1%

1 October 2019

1 January 2020

Phenoxymethylpenicillin (Penicillin V)

Grans for oral liq 250 mg per 5 ml;
100 ml bottle

$1.58

$3.99

AFT
(AFT)

1%

1 October 2019

1 January 2020

Tamsulosin hydrochloride [current access]

Cap 400 mcg;
100 capsule blister pack

$11.25

$17.73

Tamsulosin-Rex
(Rex Medical)

1%

1 October 2019

1 January 2020

8. Tenders awarded to pharmaceuticals where at least one other brand is listed.

The decisions were as follows:

Chemical name

Presentation;
Pack size and type

Current pack price

New pack price

Hospital supply brand
(Supplier)

DV
Limit

Date of listing/subsidy change

Hospital Supply Status date

Brand (Supplier) affected by delisting

Calcium folinate*

Inj 10 mg per ml, 100 ml vial;
1 vial pack

$60.00

$72.00

Calcium Folinate Sandoz
(Novartis)

1%

1 October 2019

1 March 2020

Calcium Folinate Ebewe
(Novartis)

Chloramphenicol

Eye oint 1%;
5 g tube

$2.48
(4 g OP)

$1.55
(5 g OP)

Deva
(Deva)

1%

1 December 2019

1 May 2020

Chlorsig
(Aspen)

Enalapril maleate

Tab 5 mg;
100 tablet bottle pack

$3.84

$1.82

Acetec
(Mylan)

1%

1 January 2020

1 June 2020

Ethics Enalapril
(Multichem)

Enalapril maleate

Tab 10 mg;
100 tablet bottle pack

$4.96

$2.02

Acetec
(Mylan)

1%

1 January 2020

1 June 2020

Ethics Enalapril
(Multichem)

Enalapril maleate

Tab 20 mg;
100 tablet bottle pack

$7.12

$2.42

Acetec
(Mylan)

1%

1 January 2020

1 June 2020

Ethics Enalapril
(Multichem)

*The price and subsidy of calcium folinate inj 1 mg for ECP (Baxter) will be maintained.

Tender declines - Products where no tender is to be awarded for Sole Subsidised Supply Status or Hospital Supply Status

PHARMAC has resolved not to award tenders for Sole Subsidised Supply Status or Hospital Supply Status for the following products listed in:

  • the 2017/18 Invitation to Tender, dated 2 November 2017, and
  • the 2018/19 Invitation to Tender, dated 1 November 2018

2017/18 Invitation to Tender

Chemical name

Line item

Bumetanide

Tab 1 mg

2018/19 Invitation to Tender

Chemical name

Line item

Adenosine

Inj 3 mg per ml, 10 ml

Doxorubicin

Inj 50 mg

Fluorouracil sodium

Inj 50 mg per ml, 50 ml

Levosimendan

Inj 2.5 mg per ml, 5 ml

Tamsulosin [widened access]

Tab 400 mcg

Zinc oxide

Powder

For products included in the 2017/18 and 2018/19 Invitation to Tender where no announcement has yet been made, either a decision is still pending or is provisional, subject to the product gaining market approval and being available to supply, and subject to PHARMAC Board (or its delegate) approval. We will keep you informed of any updates regarding such tender products as decisions are made.

If you have any queries regarding this notification, please contact PHARMAC on 0800 66 00 50.