Ivermectin Special Authority

Thank you for your request dated 20 June 2024 under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) for information relating to Ivermectin. Please find a response to each part of your request below:

When was ivermectin (Stromectol) moved to Special Authority? Please advise whether Stromectol was ever a Special Authority medicine before the more recent designation.  How long was Stromectol available as a prescription medicine in New Zealand before it became a Special Authority medicine.

Ivermectin was approved by Medsafe in 2005. It was listed on the Hospital Medicines List in 2008 subject to a Hospital Indication Restriction. At this point it was not funded in the community. Ivermectin was first listed on the Community Pharmaceutical Schedule in 2012 and was at that point subject to a Special Authority.

Please explain the reasons for the designation of ivermectin (Stromectol) to Special Authority? Historically I understand Stromectol was not a Special Authority medicine.  In light of this, please explain what were the new relevant circumstances that precipitated this change in designation.  Please provide all reports, memos, documents, recommendations and emails relating to the decision to move ivermectin to Special Authority medicine.  Who specifically made the decision to make ivermectin a Special Authority medicine?

I have identified one document within scope of your request. This document is a paper provided to Pharmac’s Board in 2012 that sets out the decision-making for listing ivermectin on the community schedule subject to a Special Authority. Prior to this it was not funded for community use, it was only funded via the Hospital Medicines List.

Some information has been withheld under the section 9(2)(j) of the Act to enable a Minister or any public service agency to carry on negotiations without prejudice or disadvantage.

What are the guiding principles and criteria behind Special Authority medicines? Is this designation used a mechanism for controlling the prescribing of certain medicines?

It is worth noting that a medicine being moved to Special Authority does not restrict prescription access to that medication. Special Authority criteria govern the circumstances in which a patient or individual can received funded access to a medication. Anyone can still obtain a prescription for a Special Authority medication from a health practitioner.

Pharmac operates within a fixed budget. Because of this we are forced to make choices about which medicines should be funded and for who. Pharmac uses Special Authority criteria to ensure that medicines are targeted to those who would most benefit from the treatment. This enables us to achieve the best health outcomes for the largest number of New Zealanders.

In making our decision, we have considered the public interest considerations in section 9(1) of the Act. No public interest has been identified that would be sufficient to override the reasons for withholding that information.