Melatonin funding proposal not proceeding at this time
Earlier this year PHARMAC issued a consultation on a proposal to fund melatonin.
As notified in June 2014, following clinical issues raised during the consultation PHARMAC sought further advice from the Pharmacology and Therapeutics Advisory Committee (PTAC) in August 2014. PTAC’s recommendation was for funding with a low priority as well as some suggested changes to potential Special Authority criteria. The minutes of PTAC’s August 2014 meeting are available [file no longer available].
Since we originally consulted on the melatonin funding proposal in May 2014 our budget position has changed. This means that PHARMAC is not in a position to invest in melatonin during the current financial year.
At this stage we are unable to indicate whether, or when, a funding decision may be made for melatonin; this will be dependent on factors such as the available budget and the mix of other funding applications or investment options being considered.
We understand that this news is likely to be disappointing to those who were hopeful that funding of melatonin could be progressed. We would like to provide assurance that our decision not to progress the funding of melatonin at this time does not mean that it will not be funded at some point in the future.
Melatonin remains among the options we are considering for funding and its priority relative to other treatments may shift with changing information (eg, clinical, budgetary or commercial).
More information on the progress of the funding application can be found in the Application Tracker record for melatonin.
If you have any questions about this notification, please contact enquiry@pharmac.govt.nz.