Erectile dysfunction medications available and funded in New Zealand

OIA response

Request for information relating to erectile dysfunction medicine availability, cost and how medicines are funded.

3 September 2020

Dear [name and contact details redacted]

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

Thank you for your request dated 23 August 2020 under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) for information relating to medications used in New Zealand for erectile dysfunction.  You asked:

1. What PDE5 inhibitors are available in NZ?

The following phosphodiesterase type-5 (PDE5) inhibitors are registered with Medsafe for dispensing in New Zealand:

  • Sildenafil
    • Silvasta Tablet, 100 mg (Douglas Pharmaceuticals Limited)
    • Silvasta Tablet, 50 mg (Douglas Pharmaceuticals Limited)
    • Silvasta Tablet, 25 mg (Douglas Pharmaceuticals Limited)
    • Vedafil Film coated tablet, 100 mg (Mylan New Zealand Ltd)
    • Vedafil Film coated tablet, 50 mg (Mylan New Zealand Ltd)
    • Vedafil Film coated tablet, 25 mg (Mylan New Zealand Ltd)
    • Viagra Film coated tablet, 100 mg (Upjohn New Zealand ULC)
    • Viagra Film coated tablet, 50 mg (Upjohn New Zealand ULC)
    • Viagra Film coated tablet, 25 mg (Upjohn New Zealand ULC)
  • Tadalafil
    • Cialis Film coated tablet, 20 mg (Eli Lilly and Company (NZ) Limited)
    • Cialis Film coated tablet, 10 mg (Eli Lilly and Company (NZ) Limited)
    • Cialis Film coated tablet, 5 mg (Eli Lilly and Company (NZ) Limited)
  • Vardenafil
    • Levitra Film coated tablet, 20 mg (Bayer New Zealand Limited)
    • Levitra Film coated tablet, 10 mg (Bayer New Zealand Limited)

2. What intracavernosal therapies are available in NZ?

The following intracavernosal therapies are registered with Medsafe for dispensing in New Zealand:

  • Papaverine
    • DBL™ Papaverine Hydrochloride Solution for injection, 120 mg/10mL (Pfizer New Zealand Limited)
  • Alprostadil
    • Caverject Impulse Powder for injection, 20 mcg (Pfizer New Zealand Limited)
    • Caverject Impulse Powder for injection, 10 mcg (Pfizer New Zealand Limited) 

3. Can you provide the cost of these medications to purchase by PHARMAC.

Note that PHARMAC can only provide costings for those medicines that are funded through the Pharmaceutical Schedule (“Schedule”). Prices for unfunded medicines will vary.

Sildenafil

  • Funding for sildenafil is available via Special Authority (SA)
  • The unit price of sildenafil, funded via SA, is listed in the table below:

Form

Pack size

Unit price (NZD)

Vedafil 100 mg tab

12 tablets

6.60

Vedafil 50 mg tab

4 tablets

0.64

Vedafil 25 mg tab

4 tablets

0.64

Papaverine hydrochloride

  • Funding for papaverine hydrochloride is available via the Schedule.
  • The unit price of papaverine hydrochloride, funded via Section B of the Schedule, is listed in the table below:

Form

Pack size

Unit price (NZD)

Inj 12 mg per ml, 10 ml ampoule

5 ampoules

217.19

4. What is the process for PHARMAC to approve subsidised funding for a new medication, or change the approved funded indications.

Please refer to PHARMAC’s guide on how medicines are funded for information related to how new funding applications (including change of approved funded indications) are processed.

We trust that this information answers your queries. We are making our information more freely available, so we will now publish selected OIA responses (excluding personal details) on our website.  Please get in touch with us if you have any questions about this.

Yours sincerely

Rachel Read
Manager, Policy and Government Services