Proposal to list medical devices supplied by Device Technologies New Zealand Limited and Medipak Surgical NZ Limited

Hospital devices Consultation Closed

What we’re proposing

PHARMAC is seeking feedback on a proposal to list a range of medical devices in Part III of Section H of the Pharmaceutical Schedule from 1 October 2018, through individual provisional agreements with the following suppliers:

Supplier Category
Device Technologies New Zealand Limited (“Device Technologies”) Respiratory equipment and consumables devices (“Respiratory Care Products”)
Medipak Surgical NZ Limited (“Medipak”) Anaesthesia small equipment and consumable devices (“Anaesthesia Products”)

Consultation closes at 4pm on Wednesday, 15 August 2018 and feedback can be emailed to jacquie.pillay@pharmac.govt.nz.

What would the effect be?

From 1 October 2018:

  • Device Technologies’ range of Respiratory Care Products; and
  • Medipak’s range of Anaesthesia Products

would be listed under the proposed national agreements for all DHBs to purchase under, subject to consultation and approval by PHARMAC’s Board or delegate (“Agreements”).

These Agreements would not be for sole supply, with DHBs continuing to be able to purchase other suppliers’ brands of Respiratory Care Products and Anaesthesia Products.

These Agreements would supersede any existing DHB contracts with Device Technologies and Medipak for the devices included in the Agreements. Any device listed in the Agreements and purchased by a DHB would be at the price, terms and conditions stated in the Agreements, effective from the date of listing in the Pharmaceutical Schedule.

As part of the Agreements Device Technologies and Medipak would provide educational services that would be tailored to the individual needs of DHBs, in formats and at times as required by DHBs.

Pricing for the devices in the Agreements, subject to any prior termination of the Agreements, would not be increased without prior approval by PHARMAC.

Both of these companies have some products that are new to New Zealand DHBs and the Agreements would provide an increased range of Respiratory Care Products and Anaesthesia Products from which clinicians could choose.

Who we think will be interested

  • Suppliers and Wholesalers
  • DHB Staff
    • Clinical engineers
    • Anaesthetists and anaesthetic technicians
    • Clinical staff involved with airway management and emergency respiratory resuscitation
    • Respiratory clinicians
    • Respiratory therapists
    • Pulmonary function specialists
    • Pulmonary rehabilitation specialists
    • Clinical staff working in surgical and medical units, emergency departments, intensive and critical care units, and outpatient units
    • District nurses
    • Procurement officers

About the medical devices

Respiratory Care products

Respiratory care is a health specialty involving the diagnosis, assessment, treatment and management of patients with deficiencies and abnormalities of the cardiopulmonary system.

The Respiratory Care Category includes oxygen delivery consumables and accessories, aerosol delivery devices and associated consumables, non-powered humidifiers (passive and bubble) and associated tubing and consumables, laryngectomy and tracheostomy consumables, spirometers and respiratory muscle trainers and associated consumables, breathing filters, powered and non-powered respiratory suction devices and associated consumables, ventilator circuits and associated consumables and flow meters.

Anaesthesia products

Anaesthesia products are integral to the delivery of anaesthesia to patients in operating theatres. This includes airway visualisation devices, stand-alone depth of anaesthesia monitoring systems and medical devices used for the purpose of acute airway management and delivery of anaesthesia gas. Some of these devices are also used for airway management and emergency respiratory resuscitation and as such may also be used by clinicians other than anaesthetists.

Why we’re proposing this

In 2017 PHARMAC issued Requests for Proposals (“RFPs”) for Respiratory Care Products and Anaesthesia Products. These RFPs were for non-exclusive national agreements for listing in the Pharmaceutical Schedule.

PHARMAC has been working with suppliers who responded to the RFPs to seek provisional agreements and these proposals are the latest to arise from these processes. We expect to consult on further proposed agreements with suppliers of Respiratory Care Products and Anaesthesia Products over the next few months.

This is the fourth provisional agreement for Respiratory Care Products and the eleventh provisional agreement for Anaesthesia Products to result from these processes.

Details about our proposal

PHARMAC has entered into individual provisional agreements with Device Technologies for a range of Respiratory Care Products, and with Medipak for a range of Anaesthesia Products.

Pricing has been made available to appropriate DHB personnel.

This proposal would result in Pharmaceutical Schedule listings for 46 products from Device Technologies and 66 products from Medipak.

Brand ranges in the Agreements include:

Device Technologies Respiratory Care products

  • ProBreathe
  • Flexicare

Medipak Anaesthesia products

  • Karl Storz

To provide feedback

Send us an email: jacquie.pillay@pharmac.govt.nz by 15 August 2018.

All feedback received before the closing date will be considered by PHARMAC’s Board (or its delegate) prior to making a decision on this proposal.

Feedback we receive is subject to the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) and we will consider any request to have information withheld in accordance with our obligations under the OIA. Anyone providing feedback, whether on their own account or on behalf of an organisation, and whether in a personal or professional capacity, should be aware that the content of their feedback and their identity may need to be disclosed in response to an OIA request.

We are not able to treat any part of your feedback as confidential unless you specifically request that we do, and then only to the extent permissible under the OIA and other relevant laws and requirements. If you would like us to withhold any commercially sensitive, confidential proprietary, or personal information included in your submission, please clearly state this in your submission and identify the relevant sections of your submission that you would like it withheld. PHARMAC will give due consideration to any such request.