Jadelle contraceptive implant on PSO
PHARMAC is pleased to announce that the approval of a proposal to change how levonorgestrel subdermal implants are funded, such that they will become subsidised on a Practitioners’ Supply Order (PSO).
This was the subject of a consultation letter dated 23 November 2016.
In summary, the effect of the decision is that:
- Levonorgestrel subdermal implants (Jadelle) will be subsidised on a PSO from 1 February 2017.
- Up to three packs (of two rods) will be available on a PSO.
- Levonorgestrel subdermal implants will continue to be subsidised on a prescription.
Feedback received
We appreciate all of the feedback that we received and acknowledge the time people took to respond. All consultation responses received were considered in their entirety in making a decision on the proposed changes. All responses were supportive of the proposal, although the following issues were raised in relation to specific aspects of the proposal:
| Theme | Comment |
|---|---|
| Some respondents noted that clinicians need to be specifically trained to administer the implants, and that the administration costs can also be a barrier to patients. | We note that these issues do exist, and that these may be barriers to accessing this treatment. However, the proposal does not exacerbate these issues and resolution of them is outside PHARMAC’s control. |
| Some respondents noted that the proposed limit may be insufficient for their service provision. | We acknowledge that some providers are much heavier prescribers of these implants than average. We will be investigating the possibility of providing higher PSO quantities to high volume sexual and reproductive health service providers. In the meantime, it is possible to write multiple PSOs per month. |
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.