Agreement with Biotronik Australia Pty Limited for the supply of interventional cardiology devices

Hospital devices Decision

PHARMAC is pleased to announce the approval of an agreement with Biotronik Australia Pty Limited (“Biotronik”) for the supply of interventional cardiology devices.

This was the subject of a consultation letter dated 12 May 2016 which can be found on PHARMAC’s website.

In summary, the effect of the decision is that:

  • A range of 288 interventional cardiology devices (guide wires, cutting balloon catheters, dilatation balloon catheters, drug eluting balloon catheters, bare metal stents, drug eluting stents and covered stents) will be listed in Section H, Part III, (‘Optional Pharmaceuticals’) of the Pharmaceutical Schedule from 1 July 2016.
  • DHB hospitals can purchase these items either directly from Biotronik or through a designated third party logistics provider under the national agreement.
  • There are estimated savings to DHBs that currently use these products of approximately $82,000 per annum nationally, based on current usage.

Details of the decision

Following a Registration of Interest document issued in April 2014, PHARMAC has entered into an agreement with Biotronik for the supply of a selection of interventional cardiology devices to be listed on the Pharmaceutical Schedule. This is one of eleven PHARMAC contracts in the Interventional Cardiology category. This means that DHB hospitals may purchase these products under the national agreement at the new pricing.

The list of products will be available on PHARMAC’s website in both a PDF document and a series of Excel spreadsheets as of 1 July 2016.

The agreement is not exclusive. DHBs can continue to purchase other brands of interventional cardiology devices at their discretion. DHBs purchasing Biotronik products will do so under this agreement from 1 July 2016.

Educational services will be provided by Biotronik to DHB personnel on appropriate use of its interventional cardiology devices and will be arranged in a format and at times as agreed with individual DHBs.

Feedback received

PHARMAC appreciates all of the feedback that it has received and acknowledges the time people took to respond. All consultation responses received by 3 June 2016 were considered in their entirety in making a decision on the proposed changes. No concerns were raised regarding the proposals.

A summary of the feedback received is provided in the table below:

Theme

PHARMAC Comment

The technical aspects of the Biotronik stents were not favoured in a clinical review by one DHB.

Biotronik stents are used by a number of DHBs in New Zealand that are comfortable with the quality of the devices. DHBs are able to choose which stents best meet their requirements.

More information

If you have any questions about this decision you can email PHARMAC at enquiry@pharmac.govt.nz or call our toll free number (9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday) on 0800 66 00 50.