The journey of a funding application

1. Apply: A supplier, health professional, or everyday New Zealander can submit an application with our online Application Tracker.
2. Review: We review and evaluate applications before putting them to our expert advisory committees.
3. Assess: Our committees give us expert clinical and consumer advice. This helps us conduct a thorough assessment
   of an application using the Factors for Consideration.
4. Prioritise: We decide what applications to progress by comparing applications against others on our Priority Lists. Those we want to take forward are ranked on the Options for Investment list.
5. Negotiate: We negotiate a price with suppliers that’s within our budget, working hard to get some of the best deals
   with pharmaceutical companies for medicines in the world.
6. Agree: Once we have a provisional agreement with the supplier, we can move the application forward.
7. Consult: We ask New Zealanders what they think. Their submissions help us address issues and adapt proposals based on feedback.
8. Funding decision: The Pharmac board or delegate makes the final decision. We then notify health professionals and the public.
9. List: The medicine or related product is listed on the Pharmaceutical Schedule and becomes available to New Zealanders.

The Government sets a fixed budget for medicines so not every application moves forward.