Approval of proposal involving ferrous sulphate
PHARMAC is pleased to announce that the approval of an agreement with Abbott Laboratories (NZ) Limited, to fully subsidise its brand of ferrous sulphate in Section B and list ferrous sulphate in Part II of Section H of the Pharmaceutical Schedule. This was the subject of a consultation letter dated 15 November 2013. In summary, the effect of the decision is that:
- The subsidy for ferrous sulphate (Ferrograd), in the 30 tablet pack size will be increased from $1.01 to $2.06 and the price will be decreased from $4.26 to $2.06, from 1 February 2014, which will result in Ferrograd in the 30 tab pack being fully funded.
- The 150 tablet pack size of Ferrograd will be delisted from 31 July 2014.
Details of the decision
Ferrous sulphate (Ferrograd) will be listed in Section B, and in Part II of Section H, of the Pharmaceutical Schedule from 1 February 2014 at the following price and subsidy (ex-manufacturer, excluding GST):
| Chemical | Presentation | Brand | Pack size | Price and subsidy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ferrous sulphate | Tab long-acting 325 mg (105 mg elemental) | Ferrograd | 30 | $2.06 |
For the avoidance of doubt there is no change to the funding of ferrous fumerate (Ferro-tab). There is no change in price or subsidy for Ferrograd long-acting tablets in the 150 tablet pack.
Feedback received
We appreciate all of the feedback that we received and acknowledge the time people took to respond. All consultation responses received by Friday, 29 November 2013 were considered in their entirety in making a decision on the proposed changes. Responses were generally supportive with no significant issues raised.
More information
If you have any questions about this decision, you can email us at enquiry@pharmac.govt.nz or call our toll free number (9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday) on 0800 66 00 50.