PHARMAC to seek further advice on melatonin funding proposal
PHARMAC will be seeking further advice from the Pharmacology and Therapeutics Advisory Committee (PTAC) on aspects of our proposal to fund melatonin. PHARMAC issued an initial consultation letter on 1 May 2014 regarding a proposal to fund melatonin 2 mg modified-release tablets (Circadin) for secondary insomnia in children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders from 1 July 2014.
Significant clinical issues were raised during consultation. The need to consider these issues and seek further advice from PTAC means we will not be progressing the melatonin proposal at this time.
PTAC will consider this new information at its August 2014 meeting. As any future activities will depend on PTAC’s advice and consideration by PHARMAC, we are unable to commit to a firm timeline for progressing any proposal at present.
We understand that this letter is likely to be disappointing to those who were hopeful that funding of melatonin could be progressed. We would like to thank people who took the time to respond to the consultation and to provide assurance that we are committed to ensuring that the issues raised are appropriately addressed.
We will make sure that our Application Tracker is kept up to date for melatonin, including with links to minutes from PTAC, so that you can follow the progress of the funding application at: https://connect.pharmac.govt.nz/apptracker/s/(external link)
If you have any questions about this notification, please contact Geraldine MacGibbon, Senior Therapeutic Group Manager, by email at geraldine.macgibbon@pharmac.govt.nz.