Pūahoaho: updated information about Pharmac’s priority lists

Update Medicines

There are currently 140 applications on Pharmac’s options for investment list for 88 different medicines, vaccines, and related products.

The Pūahoaho Report published today contains the latest information about medicines, vaccines, and related products on Pharmac’s priority lists.

The aim is to inform the public about current figures and the latest proposals ranked on the priority lists without compromising commercial sensitivity or Pharmac’s ability to negotiate the best prices for medicines.

Proactively releasing this information is part of our ongoing commitment to transparency. It gives New Zealanders certainty about Pharmac’s decisions around funding applications.

Application priority lists

In July 2021, we began sharing our priority lists in alphabetical order. These lists show all funding applications for medicines which have been assessed but not yet funded.

Every year we receive about 80-100 funding applications to consider from health care practitioners, consumer groups and suppliers. Some of these are for new medicines and some are applications to widen access to medicines that we already fund.

Applications are usually very comprehensive with detailed clinical trial information and an initial price offer. Once assessed, applications are placed on one of three priority lists:

  • options for investment (OFI) – items we would like to fund when there is budget available
  • only funded if cost neutral or cost saving
  • recommended for decline.

Current figures

As of today, there are 140 applications on our Options for Investment list for 88 different medicines, vaccines, and related products.

In 2022/23 we made 36 funding decisions including 20 new medicines and widened access to a further 16, benefiting an additional 364,000 New Zealanders.

For 2023/24 we have made 19 new funding decisions including 10 new treatments and widened access to 9 others, so far.

Options for Investment list

Prioritisation activity in the March quarter

During the March 2024 prioritisation quarter, we ranked seven new applications on the options for investment list, and re-prioritised six others. Re-prioritisation can occur due to more information becoming available, or a change in an application’s Factors for Consideration relative to other funding options.

New applications ranked (detailed descriptions of indications available on the Application Tracker):

pembrolizumab – metastatic triple negative breast cancer(external link)

RVZ vaccine – prevention of herpes zoster (shingles) in immunocompromised people(external link)

pembrolizumab – unresectable or metastatic colorectal cancer(external link) (colon cancer)

daratumumab – primary amyloidosis(external link) (a rare disorder affecting plasma cells)

fomepizole – methanol poisoning(external link)

prucalopride – chronic slow transit constipation(external link)

durvalumab – biliary tract cancer(external link)

Applications re-ranked:

somatropin – widened access to adults for the genetic disorder, Prader-Willi syndrome(external link)

atezolizumab – urothelial carcinoma(external link) (bladder cancer)

pembrolizumab – urothelial carcinoma(external link) (bladder cancer) 

buprenorphine modified release solution for injection – opioid dependence(external link)

azacitidine – acute myeloid leukaemia (blood cancer)(external link)

atezolizumab with bevacizumab – hepatocellular carcinoma(external link) (liver cancer)

Only if cost neutral or cost saving list

Prioritisation activity in the March quarter

During the March 2024 prioritisation quarter, we ranked two applications on the only if cost neutral or cost saving list (detailed descriptions of indications available on the Application Tracker):

paracetamol and ibuprofen solution for infusion – acute pain in hospital(external link)

aspirin, atorvastatin, and ramipril combination pill – secondary prevention of cardiovascular events(external link)

Recommended for decline list

Prioritisation activity in the March quarter

During the March 2024 prioritisation quarter, we ranked two applications on the recommended for decline list (detailed descriptions of indications available on the Application Tracker):

aprepitant – nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy(external link)

certolizumab pegol – rheumatoid arthritis(external link)

Recent proposal to decline inactive funding applications

In December 2023 we published a consultation on a proposal to decline 94 funding applications (these applications are currently inactive). We are considering all of the consultation feedback before we make decisions and expect to share more information about these soon.

If we decline an application, it means the medicine would not be funded for the use requested at this time. It does not prevent us from reconsidering funding for the medicine in the future if information and we can still consider funding the medicine through the exceptional circumstances framework.

There are a range of reasons a funding application may be inactive, including:

  • our expert clinical advisors recommended that the funding application be declined
  • other more clinically preferred medicines for the same condition are now funded, making the funding application no longer relevant
  • the medicine would provide no additional benefits over other treatments we already fund, or may be harmful
  • the application has been superseded by another funding application
  • no company is willing to supply the medicine in New Zealand.