Proposal to list negative pressure wound therapy and Prontosan woundcare products supplied by Intermed Medical Limited
What we are proposing
PHARMAC is seeking feedback on a proposal to list a range of negative pressure wound therapy equipment and consumables (NPWT Products) and Prontosan woundcare products supplied by Intermed Medical Limited (“Intermed”) in Part III of Section H of the Pharmaceutical Schedule from 1 May 2018.
Consultation closes at 4pm on Wednesday, 4 April 2018 and feedback can be emailed to denise.mundy@pharmac.govt.nz.
What would the effect be?
NPWT Products
From 1 May 2018, Intermed’s NPWT Products would be listed under a proposed national agreement that all DHBs may procure under, subject to consultation and approval by PHARMAC’s Board or delegate (“Agreement”).
DHBs would be able to continue to procure other suppliers’ brands of NPWT Products, as the Agreement would not be for sole supply.
Pricing for the products in the Agreement, subject to any prior termination of the Agreement, would not be increased before 1 May 2021.
Prontosan
From 1 May 2018, the Prontosan range of wound care products would be added to Intermed’s national Woundcare listing agreement, subject to consultation and approval by PHARMAC’s Board or delegate.
Who we think will be interested
- Suppliers and wholesalers
- DHB staff
- Wound Care Clinicians
- Community Nursing Services
- Clinical Engineers
- Procurement Officers
About the products
NPWT
NPWT uses a vacuum dressing that can promote wound healing by drawing fluid away from the wound and increasing blood flow to the wound.
A NPWT system typically includes a disposable or reusable pump to create the vacuum, and associated consumable products to seal the wound and to manage excess fluid. A NPWT system may also include a mechanism to instil wound cleaning fluids.
NPWT can be used in both hospital and community settings.
Prontosan
Prontosan is an antimicrobial wound care product available in solution or gel form that is used to clean and moisturise wounds. It can be used in conjunction with NPWT or with other wound care therapies.
Why we are proposing this
NPWT
In June 2017, a request for proposals (RFP) was issued for NPWT Products. The RFP requested proposals for non-exclusive national agreements for listing on the Pharmaceutical Schedule under a range of procurement options including purchase, lease, rent, rent-to-buy and supplier provided equipment options.
PHARMAC has been working with a range of suppliers to seek provisional agreements and this proposal is the latest to arise from that process. Further consultations in this category are expected over the next few months.
Prontosan
Prontosan was included in Intermed’s original Woundcare proposal however was not included the resulting agreement as PHARMAC needed to confirm which part of the Pharmaceutical Schedule this type of product would be included in.
PHARMAC has confirmed that, based on the Pharmaceutical Schedule Rules, it would be appropriate to treat Intermed’s proposed range of Prontosan as Woundcare medical devices and consider listing them in Part III of Section H of the Pharmaceutical Schedule. Any Prontosan product specific to NPWT would be included in the NPWT medical device category.
Details about our proposal
PHARMAC has entered a provisional Agreement with Intermed for the supply of NPWT Products to DHBs that would result in listing 138 products on the Pharmaceutical Schedule from 1 May 2018.
The provisional Agreement includes reusable NPWT Units, disposable NPWT Units, and associated consumables.
Procurement options and brands for the reusable NPWT units included in the Agreement are:
| Procurement options | Reusable NPWT units |
|---|---|
| Outright Purchase | VAC Therapy – ActiVAC VAC Veraflo Therapy – VAC Ulta |
| Casual Daily Rental | VAC Therapy – ActiVAC VAC Veraflo Therapy – VAC Ulta VAC Therapy – InfoVAC |
| Flexi-Rent Supplier Managed | VAC Therapy – ActiVAC VAC Veraflo Therapy – VAC Ulta VAC Therapy – InfoVAC |
| Flexi-Rent DHB Managed | VAC Therapy – ActiVAC VAC Veraflo Therapy – VAC Ulta VAC Therapy – InfoVAC |
| Fixed Fleet Rental | VAC Therapy – ActiVAC VAC Veraflo Therapy – VAC Ulta VAC Therapy – InfoVAC |
| Long Term Lease | VAC Therapy – ActiVAC VAC Veraflo Therapy – VAC Ulta |
Brands of NPWT consumables (including disposable NPWT units) included in the Agreement are:
- VAC Therapy
- VAC Ulta
- VAC Via
- ABTHERA
- Prevena
- Prevena Plus
- Prontosan (with Veraflo adaptor)
- Nanova
Pricing has not been included in this consultation but has been made available to Procurement Departments at DHBs.
DHBs would be able to continue to choose which NPWT Products they procure.
The Agreement includes terms for training and education services to be provided by Intermed to DHB personnel on appropriate use of its NPWT Products, which is to be provided at time as agreed with individual DHBs.
The Agreement sets out respective responsibilities for maintenance and management of equipment under the various procurement options.
Prontosan
PHARMAC has provisionally agreed to add Intermed’s range of Prontosan products to the Woundcare category that would result in listing 7 new products on the Pharmaceutical Schedule from 1 May 2018.
The proposed Prontosan range includes solutions and hydrogels in a range of sizes. Pricing has not been included in this consultation but has been made available to Procurement Managers at DHBs.
To provide feedback
Send us an email: denise.mundy@pharmac.govt.nz by 4pm, Wednesday 4 April 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.