Summaries of the Section H (HML) update

Each month we issue a summary of the HML update. The table on this page gives a preview of the upcoming changes.

The table on this page gives a preview of the upcoming changes that will be announced in next month’s Section H of the Pharmaceutical Schedule. 

The changes will be published in the Online HML(external link) around the 23rd of this month and are effective from next month. 

For any questions about these listing changes or the Pharmaceutical Schedule in general, email us at enquiry@pharmac.govt.nz.

16 January 2026 - preview of changes for February 2026

General Rule changes

We have made amendments to Pharmaceutical Schedule Rules to align funding with changes to the Medicines Regulations 1984 in relation to:

a) vaccinators and medicines that are part of an approved immunisation programme

b) 12-month prescriptions

A summary of the changes is provided in the HML Update. 

Pharmaceutical

Change

Bisacodyl tab 5 mg

Brand change

  • Bisacodyl-AFT – new listing and addition of PSS (p’code 2720914)
  • Bisacodyl Viatris to be delisted 1 July 2026

Bortezomib (DBL Bortezomib) inj 3.5 mg vial

amended restriction criteria

Calcium polystyrene sulphonate (Roma) powder, 300 g

new listing (p’code 2720590)

Celecoxib cap 200 mg

Brand change

  • Celostea – new listing and addition of PSS (p’code 2468840)
  • Celecoxib Pfizer to be delisted 1 July 2026

Clotrimazole (Clomazol) crm 1%, 20 g, vaginal crm 1% with applicators, 35 g and vaginal crm 2% with applicators, 20 g

price increase and addition of PSS

Compound electrolytes with glucose [dextrose] soln with electrolytes (2 x 500 ml)

Brand change

  • Pedialyte – new listing and addition of PSS (p’code 2504308)
  • Hydralyte - Lemonade to be delisted 1 July 2026

Covid-19 vaccine (Comirnaty (LP.8.1))

  • inj 3 mcg SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (mRNA) LP.8.1 per 0.3 ml, 0.48 ml multi-dose vial; infant vaccine, yellow cap
  • inj 10 mcg SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (mRNA) LP.8.1 per 0.3 ml, 0.48 ml single-dose vial; paediatric vaccine, light blue cap
  • inj 30 mcg SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (mRNA) LP.8.1 per 0.3 ml, pre-filled syringe; adult dose

addition of PSS and amended restriction
criteria

Covid-19 vaccine (Comirnaty Omicron (JN.1))

  • inj 3 mcg bretovameran per 0.3 ml, 0.48 ml vial; infant vaccine, yellow cap,
  • inj 10 mcg bretovameran per 0.3 ml, 0.48 ml vial; paediatric vaccine, light blue cap
  • inj 30 mcg bretovameran per 0.3 ml, 0.48 ml vial; adult vaccine, light grey cap

amended restriction criteria

Daunorubicin (Cerubidine) inj 20 mg vial

new listing (p’code 2720922)

Dexamfetamine sulfate (Noumed Dexamfetamine) tab 5 mg

amended restriction criteria

Enalapril maleate tab 5 mg, 10 mg and 20 mg 

Brand change

Ipca-Enalapril – new listing and addition of PSS

  • Tab 5 mg (p’code 2716771)
  • Tab 10 mg (p’code 2716798)
  • Tab 20 mg (p’code 2716801)

Acetec to be delisted 1 July 2026

Glycopyrronium bromide inj 200 mcg per ml, 1 ml ampoule 

Brand change

  • Glycopyrronium-AFT – new listing and addition of PSS (p’code 2719258)
  • Robinul to be delisted 1 July 2026

Hepatitis B recombinant vaccine (Engerix-B) inj 20 mcg per 1 ml prefilled syringe 

amended restriction criteria

Hydrocortisone (Ethics) crm 1%, 30 g

price decrease and addition of PSS

Iohexol (Omnipaque) inj 300 mg per ml (iodine equivalent), 10 ml bottle 

new listing (p’code 2720825)

Ketamine (Ketalar) inj 100 mg per ml, 2 ml vial

new Pharmacode listing (p’code 2719371)

Lenalidomide (viatris) (Lenalidomide Viatris) cap 15 mg and 25 mg 

new Pharmacode listing

  • Cap 15 mg (p’code 2707543)
  • Cap 25 mg (p’code 2707551)

Lidocaine [lignocaine] hydrochloride (Mucosoothe) oral (gel) soln 2%, 200 ml 

price decrease

Lisdexamfetamine dimesilate (Vyvanse) cap 30 mg, 50 mg and 70 mg 

amended restriction criteria

Losartan potassium with hydrochlorothiazide tab 50 mg with hydrochlorothiazide 12.5 mg

Brand change

  • I-Losartan & Hydrochlorothiazide – Ipca – new listing and addition of PSS (p’code 2716828)
  • Arrow-Losartan & Hydrochlorothiazide to be delisted 1 July 2026

Macrogol 3350 with potassium chloride, sodium
bicarbonate and sodium chloride (Molaxole)
powder for oral soln 13.125 g with potassium
chloride 46.6 mg, sodium bicarbonate 178.5 mg and sodium chloride 350.7 mg

new Pharmacode listing (p’code 2718332)

Methylphenidate hydrochloride

  • Tab extended-release 18 mg, 27 mg, 36 mg and 54 mg (Concerta and Methylphenidate ER – Teva)
  • Tab immediate-release 5 mg, 10 mg and 20 mg (Rubifen)
  • Tab immediate-release 10 mg (Ritalin)
  • Tab modified-release 18 mg, 27 mg, 36 mg and 54 mg (Methylphenidate Sandoz XR)
  • Tab sustained-release 20 mg (Ribifen SR)
  • Cap modified-release 10 mg, 20 mg, 30 mg and 40 mg (Ritalin LA)

amended restriction criteria

Morphine sulphate (m-Eslon) cap long-acting 10 mg, 30 mg, 60 mg and 100 mg 

price increase and addition of PSS

Nifedipine (Valni Retard) tab long-acting 20 mg

new listing (p’code QQQ)

Niraparib (Zejula) tab 100 mg, 56 tab

new pack size listing (p’code 2690691)

Nitisinone (Nitisinone LogixX Pharma) cap 2 mg, 5 mg and 10 mg

new listing and addition of PSS

  • Cap 2 mg (p’code 2677687)
  • Cap 5 mg (p’code 2677695)
  • Cap 10 mg (p’code 2677709)

Olanzapine (Zyprexa Relprevv) inj 210 mg, 300 mg and 405 mg vial

amended restriction criteria

Paracetamol (Pamol) oral liq 250 mg per 5 ml, 200 ml

price decrease and addition of PSS

Pegylated interferon alfa-2a (Pegasys) inj 180 mcg prefilled syringe

price increase

Rosuvastatin (Rosuvastatin – Sandoz) tab 5 mg

new listing (p’code 2716712)

Salbutamol with ipratropium bromide (Cipla)
nebuliser soln, 2.5 mg with ipratropium bromide 0.5 mg per vial, 3 ml vial

new listing (p’code 2719959)

Sodium chloride inj 0.9%, 3 ml, 5 ml and 10 ml, prefilled syringe, non-sterile pack

Brand change and amended presentation
description

Polyflush – new listing and addition of PSS

  • Inj 0.9%, 3 ml, prefilled syringe, non-sterile pack (p’code 2717433)
  • Inj 0.9%, 5 ml, prefilled syringe, non-sterile pack (p’code 2717425)
  • Inj 0.9%, 10 ml, prefilled syringe, non-sterile pack (p’code 2717417)

BD PosiFlush to be delisted 1 July 2026

Temozolomide cap 5 mg, 20 mg, 100 mg, 140 mg and 250 mg (Temaccord) and cap 5 mg
(Temozolomide Taro)

amended restriction criteria

Find previous months' summaries