Oral liquid mixtures

When is a compounded oral liquid funded

Oral liquid mixtures are funded for patients who can't swallow funded solid oral dose forms and where no suitable alternative is funded. Suitable alternatives include:

• dispersible and sublingual formulations
• oral liquid formulations
• rectal formulations.

Also explore whether other alternatives might be suitable. Such as dispersing or crushing the solid dose form in jam, honey or soft foods, like yoghurt.

Information on this page is guidance only

You are responsible for making sure you comply with the latest Schedule, including the rules in Section A.

Section A, Schedule rules part 7(external link)

What's funded? 

The funded ingredients in the formula will be reimbursed and a compounding fee paid. Funding is based on:

• Solid dose form - qs
• Preservative - qs
• Suspending agent - qs
• Water to 100%

Extemporaneously Compounded Preparations in the Schedule(external link)

What won't be funded

Prescribers may prescribe or pharmacists may add extra non-funded ingredients, such as flavouring and colouring agents, these extra ingredients will not be reimbursed.

The following practices will not be funded:

• Mixing one or more proprietary oral liquids (such as an antihistamine with pholcodine linctus).
• Extemporaneously compounding an oral liquid with more than one solid dose chemical.
• Mixing more than one extemporaneously compounded oral liquid mixture.
• Mixing one or more extemporaneously compounded oral liquid mixtures with one or more proprietary oral liquids.
• Adding a chemical/powder/agent/solution to a proprietary oral liquid or extemporaneously compounded oral mixture.

Section 7.3 of the Schedule Rules covers what won't be funded

Who to contact

If you have a funding question about extemporaneously compounded oral liquids, email enquiry@pharmac.govt.nz