Medical journal articles

This page lists articles and letters prepared or contributed to by Pharmac for publication in peer-reviewed journals, including research co-funded by Pharmac.

2019 onward

Over and under? Ethnic inequities in community antibacterial prescribing. Metcalfe S, Bhawan S, Vallabh M, Murray P, Proffitt C, Williams G. New Zealand Medical Journal, 2019(external link)

Using a randomised controlled trial to test the effectiveness of social norms feedback to reduce antibiotic prescribing without increasing inequities. Chappell N, Gerard C, Gyani A, Hamblin R, McKree R, Lawrence A, Mackay J, et al. New Zealand Medical Journal, 2021.(external link)

Repeat prescribing safety survey. Lillis S, Macklin N, Thorn M, et al. J Prim Health Care, 2019.(external link)    

Joint HRC/Pharmac research project ‘A decision aid to incorporate patient preferences into biologic therapies’

What are the preferences of patients with rheumatoid arthritis for treatment modification? a scoping review. Chan SJ, Yeo HY, Stamp LK, Treharne GJ, Marra CA. Patient, 2021.(external link)

Tapering biologic therapy for rheumatoid arthritis: a qualitative study of patient perspectives. Chan SJ, Stamp LK, Liebergreen N, Ndukwe H, Marra C, Treharne GJ. Patient, 2020.(external link)

Tapering biologic therapy for people with rheumatoid arthritis in remission: a review of patient perspectives and associated clinical evidence. Stamp LK, Chan SJ, Marra C, Helme C, Treharne GJ. Musculoskeletal Care, 2019.(external link)

Joint HRC/Pharmac research project ‘Improving metformin adherence and persistence in people with type 2 diabetes’

Patterns of metformin monotherapy discontinuation and reinitiation in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus in New Zealand. Horsburgh S, Sharples K, Barson D, Zeng J, Parkin L. PLoS One, 2021.(external link)

What helps and hinders metformin adherence and persistence? A qualitative study exploring the views of people with type 2 diabetes. Parkin L, Maclennan K, Te Morenga L, Inder M, Moata'ane L. N Z Med J, 2021.(external link)

Adherence to metformin monotherapy in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus in New Zealand. Horsburgh S, Barson D, Zeng J, Sharples K, Parkin L. Diabetes Res Clin Pract, 2019.(external link)

Joint HRC/Pharmac research project ‘Improving acceptance of generic medicines’

The mode of delivery and content of communication strategies used in mandatory and non-mandatory biosimilar transitions: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Gasteiger C, den Broeder AA, Stewart S, Gasteiger N, Scholz U, Dalbeth N, Petrie KJ. Health Psychol Rev, 2021. (external link)

Is three a crowd? the influence of companions on a patient's decision to transition to a biosimilar. Gasteiger C, Groom KM, Lobo M, Scholz U, Dalbeth N, Petrie KJ. Ann Behav Med, 2021.(external link) 

Changing understanding, perceptions, pain relief of and preference for generic medicines with patient education: an experimental intervention study. Kleinstäuber M, Colgan S, Petrie KJ. Res Social Adm Pharm, 2021.(external link)

Increasing and dampening the nocebo response following medicine-taking: a randomised controlled trial. MacKrill K, Morrison Z, Petrie KJ. J Psychosom Res, 2021.(external link)

Patients' beliefs and behaviours are associated with perceptions of safety and concerns in a hypothetical biosimilar switch. Gasteiger C, Lobo M, Dalbeth N, Petrie KJ. Rheumatol Int, 2021.(external link)

The effect of television and print news stories on nocebo responding following a generic medication switch. MacKrill K, Gamble G, Petrie KJ. Clinical Psychology Europe, 2020.(external link)

Effects of message framing on patients' perceptions and willingness to change to a biosimilar in a hypothetical drug switch. Gasteiger C, Jones ASK, Kleinstäuber M, Lobo M, Horne R, Dalbeth N, Petrie KJ. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken), 2020.(external link)

  • The effect of rebranding generic medicines on drug efficacy and side effects. MacKrill K, Kleinstäuber M, Petrie KJ. Psychol Health, 2019.

Evidence of a media induced nocebo response following a nation-wide antidepressant drug switch. MacKrill K, Gamble G, Bean D, Cundy T, Petrie KJ. Clinical Psychology Europe, 2019.(external link)

2014 to 2018

Te Wero tonu—the challenge continues: Māori access to medicines 2006/07-2012/13 update. Metcalfe S, Beyene K, Urlich J, Jones R, Proffitt C, Harrison J, Andrews Ā. New Zealand Medical Journal, 2018(external link)

Effect of adjuvant trastuzumab for a duration of 9 weeks vs 1 year with concomitant chemotherapy for early human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive breast cancer: the SOLD randomized clinical trial. Joensuu H, Fraser J, Wildiers H, et al. JAMA Oncol, 2018.(external link)

Response to Cameron et al "Mind the graph". Laking G, Evans J, Metcalfe S, Strother RM. Semin Oncol, 2018.(external link)

Antibacterials dispensed in the community comprise 85%-95% of total human antibacterial consumption. Duffy E, Ritchie S, Metcalfe S, Van Bakel B, Thomas MG. J Clin Pharm Ther. 2018.(external link)

Dispensing patterns for antidiabetic agents in New Zealand: are the guidelines being followed? Murray P, Norris H, Metcalfe S, Betty B, Young V, Locke B. N Z Med J. 2017.(external link)
With accompanying Editorial: Metformin: a golden oldie. Lunt H, Hudson B. N Z Med J. 2017.(external link)

Mind the gap: an analysis of foregone health gains from unfunded cancer medicines in New Zealand. Evans J, Laking G, Strother M, Wang T, Metcalfe S, Blick G, Pauls R, Crausaz S. Seminars in Oncology, 2016.(external link)

Pharmaceutical funding frameworks to better public health. Metcalfe S, Menkes D, Murray P. [PDF, 105 KB]

The safety and efficacy of benzbromarone in gout in Aotearoa New Zealand. Stamp LK, Haslett J, Frampton C, et al. Internal Medicine Journal, 2016.(external link)

Disinvestment and value-based purchasing strategies for pharmaceuticals: an international review. Parkinson B, Sermet C, Clement F, Crausaz S, Godman B, Garner S, Choudhury M, Pearson S, Viney R, Lopert R, Elshaug A. PharmacoEconomics, 2015.(external link)

Generic pregabalin; current situation and implications for health authorities, generics and biosimilars manufacturers in the future. Godman B, Wilcock M, Martin A, et al. GaBI (Generics and Biosimilars Initiative) 2015.(external link)

3-Year experience with access to nationally funded growth hormone (GH) replacement for GH deficient adults. Holdaway IM, Hunt P, Manning P, Cutfield W, Gamble G, Ninow N, Staples-Moon D, Moodie P, Metcalfe S. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2015.(external link)

Clarification from PHARMAC: PHARMAC takes no particular distributive approach (utilitarian or otherwise). Metcalfe S, Grocott R and Rasiah D. PharmacoEconomics, 2014.(external link)

Self-monitoring blood glucose test strip use with diabetes medicines in people with types 1 and 2 diabetes in New Zealand. Metcalfe S, Moodie P, Norris H, Rasiah D. N Z Med J. 2014;127(1406):48-62.(external link)