Proposal to list medical devices supplied by Obex Medical Limited
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 November 2019, through an agreement with Obex Medical Limited.
The devices are in the following categories:
- orthopaedic implants and associated products (“Orthopaedic Products”);
- respiratory equipment and consumables (“Respiratory Care Products”);
- endomechanical and electrosurgical products (Endomechanical and Electrosurgical Products"; and
- non-invasive ventilation products (“NIV Products”).
Consultation closes at 4pm on Wednesday, 21 August 2019 and feedback can be emailed to maree.hodgson@pharmac.govt.nz.
What would the effect be?
From 1 November 2019, Obex’s ranges of Orthopaedic Products, Respiratory Care Products, endomechanical and electrosurgical products, and NIV Products would be listed under a national agreement (“Agreement”) that all DHBs may purchase under, subject to approval by PHARMAC’s Board or delegate.
The Agreement would not be for sole supply, with DHBs continuing to be able to purchase other suppliers’ brands of Orthopaedic Products, Respiratory Care Products, endomechanical and electrosurgical products, and NIV Products.
The Agreement would supersede any existing DHB contracts with this supplier for the devices listed in Schedule 1 of the Agreement. Any device listed in the PHARMAC Agreement and purchased by a DHB would be at the price, terms and conditions stated in the Agreement, effective from the date of listing on the Pharmaceutical Schedule.
As part of the Agreement, Obex would provide training and education that would be tailored to the needs of the individuals DHBs.
Who we think will be interested
- Suppliers and wholesalers
- DHB staff:
- clinical staff in a range of inpatient, outpatient and community settings where these medical devices are used
- surgeons
- perioperative personnel
- sterile services personnel
- respiratory therapists
- respiratory and sleep clinic specialists and support personnel
- pulmonary rehabilitation specialists
- clinical/biomedical Engineers
- procurement and supply chain personnel
About the medical devices
Orthopaedic implants and associated products
The orthopaedic implants under this agreement are used to treat bone related injury or disease through surgical intervention. The associated products relate to the instruments or products required for preparation and/or adherence at the implant site, or physical manipulation of the implants required when undertaking the surgery.
Respiratory care medical devices
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 products 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.
Endomechanical and electrosurgical medical devices
Endomechanical and electrosurgical medical devices are used in a large range of surgical specialties and procedures. Many have been specifically designed to be used for minimally invasive surgical techniques, with others used only in open surgery procedures. Some require power sources or other equipment to perform their function.
The endomechanical and electrosurgical medical devices category encompasses the product ranges of endomechanical instruments, electrosurgical instruments, energy platforms and their associated consumable products. This covers both disposable and re-usable options, as well as the portable power sources or other equipment that specific instruments may require to be functional.
Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) products
NIV Products are used to assist people with a wide range of airway and breathing related illnesses, that are often long-term in nature, in both hospital and community settings. Non-invasive ventilation therapy is a patient ventilation treatment that supports breathing without the need for intubation or surgical airways and can be delivered through positive pressure or negative pressure modalities.
PHARMAC’s NIV Products category includes positive and negative pressure ventilation devices, oxygen concentration devices and respiratory gas humidifiers and their associated consumables and accessories. A wide range of clinicians and support people can be involved with these therapies, including respiratory physicians, general physicians, respiratory nurses, respiratory therapists, pulmonary rehabilitation specialists, sleep therapists, nurses across many areas, and people in the community.
Why we’re proposing this
PHARMAC issued Request for Proposals (“RFP’s”) for:
- Supply of orthopaedic implants and associated products
- Supply of respiratory equipment and consumables (including respiratory suction)
- Supply of endomechanical instruments, electrosurgical instruments, energy platforms and consumable products
- Supply of non-invasive ventilation equipment, oxygen concentrators, respiratory gas humidifiers and associated products.
The RFPs were for non-exclusive national agreements for listing on the Pharmaceutical Schedule.
PHARMAC has been working with suppliers in order to seek provisional agreements and this is the latest proposal to arise from those processes. We intend to consult on further agreements with other suppliers in these categories over the coming months.
Details about our proposal
PHARMAC has entered into a provisional agreement with Obex for the supply of Orthopaedic Products, Respiratory Care Products, endomechanical and electrosurgical products, and NIV Products.
This proposal would result in listing 250 products.
The brands and number of products per category included in the Agreement are:
|
Category |
Line items |
Brands |
|---|---|---|
|
Orthopaedic Products |
13 |
Summit |
|
Respiratory Care Products |
133 |
AirLife Cook Medical Meditech Systems Asia Pacific Meditech Systems Ltd Mercury Medical Vyaire Medical WELL LEAD |
|
Endomechanical and electrosurgical products |
63 |
BEMA Electro Lube ® HolstOR KLS Martin Matrix Surgical Sutter Trokamed X-One |
|
NIV Products |
41 |
AirLife Meditech Systems Asia Pacific Vyaire Medical |
Pricing and full product lists have been made available to appropriate DHB personnel.
To provide feedback
Send us an email: maree.hodgson@pharmac.govt.nz by 4pm on Wednesday, 25 September 2019.
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.