Proposal to list medical devices supplied by Draeger New Zealand Limited

Hospital devices Consultation Closed

What we’re proposing

PHARMAC is seeking feedback on a proposal to list a range of anaesthesia and respiratory care products in Part III of Section H of the Pharmaceutical Schedule from 1 October 2018 through a provisional agreement with Draeger New Zealand Limited.

Consultation closes at 4pm on Friday, 31 August 2018 and feedback can be emailed to jacquie.pillay@pharmac.govt.nz.

What would the effect be?

From 1 October 2018 Draeger’s anaesthesia products and respiratory care products would be listed under the proposed national agreement for all DHBs to purchase under, subject to consultation and approval by PHARMAC’s Board or delegate (“Agreement”).

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

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

As part of the Agreement Draeger 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 Agreement, subject to any prior termination of the Agreement, would not be increased without prior approval by PHARMAC.

The Agreement includes some products that are new to DHBs, which would provide an increased range of Anaesthesia Products and Respiratory Care Products from which clinicians could choose.

PHARMAC estimates that the Draeger proposal would offer national savings to DHBs of approximately $26,000 per annum, based on current usage.

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

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.

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.

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 the proposal is 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.

Details about our proposal

PHARMAC has entered into a provisional agreement with Draeger for a range of anaesthesia products and respiratory care products.

The proposal would result in 52 anaesthesia products and 34 respiratory care products being listed on the Pharmaceutical Schedule. Pricing has been made available to appropriate DHB personnel.

Brand ranges in the Agreements include:

Anaesthesia products

  • Drager
  • Drager DragerSorb

Respiratory care products

  • Drager CareStar
  • Drager Pack2Go
  • Drager SafeStar
  • Drager TwinStar
  • Drager VentStar
  • Drager VentStar Helix

To provide feedback

Send us an email: jacquie.pillay@pharmac.govt.nz by 31 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.