Key terms

GTIN refers to GS1 Global Trade Item Number(external link) and may be required for listing on the Pharmaceutical Schedule.

GETS is the New Zealand Government Electronic Tenders Service (GETS)(external link) website. 

Health New Zealand is the organisation responsible for the operational functions of the Ministry of Health, with functions delivered at local, district, regional and national levels. It merges the functions of the 20 existing DHBs in New Zealand, its regional divisions and district offices ensuring continuity of services in the health system.

Invitation to Tender (ITT) is the annual tender process Pharmac runs to invite suppliers to bid for certain Pharmaceutical supply Agreements in New Zealand.

Medsafe is the regulator responsible for assessing the safety and efficacy of medicines and operates independently of Pharmac.

Notification of Product Change (NOPC) is a form contains information that is required to finalise the listing of a community pharmaceutical or a hospital medicine in the Pharmaceutical Schedule. 

Potential Out-of-Stock Event is outlined in individual supply agreements. Generally, it refers to when stock falls below the volume required to supply the funded market for a two-month period or when stock falls below two-thirds of your most recent three months’ total sales of that Pharmaceutical.

The contractual definition provides a tangible figure for you to monitor, however in practice any instance where you feel there is a risk of a disruption to supply you will need to contact your Contract Manager.

Pharmaceutical refers to both medicines and medical devices.

Pharmaceutical Schedule is the list of all the medicines and therapeutic products that Pharmac has approved for funding. See the entry in 'Introduction to Pharmac' for a full description of the Pharmaceutical Schedule.

Pharmacode is the unique six- or seven-digit identifier assigned to a pharmaceutical and assigned to you by the Pharmacy Guild. Medicine suppliers must apply to the Pharmacy Guild of New Zealand to receive a Pharmacode for each presentation of their pharmaceutical before it is listed. 

Te Tiriti o Waitangi is a text made up of three articles, a preamble and the Ritenga Māori declaration (“Te Tiriti”) that outlines the special relationship between the Crown and Māori. An explanation of Te Tiriti in the context of the wider health sector(external link) in New Zealand can be found on the Ministry of Health website.

WAND refers Web Assisted Notification of Devices (WAND) Database(external link). For medical devices to be legally supplied in New Zealand they must be added to the WAND database.