Update: Canterbury flood impacts

Update Medicines

We activated Rule 5.5 to allow more frequent dispensing.

5pm 9 June 2021: Rule 5.5 deactivated

We understand stock is flowing normally now and that there are no issues related to last week's flooding.

PHARMAC is revoking the application of rule 5.5 from 5pm Wednesday 9 June 2021.

The flooding in Canterbury impacted the supply of medicines to pharmacies. 

On 1 June 2021, PHARMAC activated rule 5.5 to allow more frequent dispensing. This ensured pharmacies that have not received deliveries could supply medicine to patients from their stock on hand.

Pharmacists could dispense more frequently than the schedule would otherwise allow. They should have clearly annotated the prescription with “out of stock” or “OOS”.

We did not implement a maximum dispensing volume. Rule 5.5 allows more frequent dispensing at pharmacists' discretion to manage stock on hand. If pharmacies have enough stock, they can continue to dispense monthly or stat.

This allowance applies to any pharmacy impacted by the Canterbury flooding.

Read Rule 5.5

Who to contact

If you have any questions about the rule, email enquiry@pharmac.govt.nz