3 December 2021

In March this year, the Government announced an independent review of Pharmac - New Zealand’s medicines buying agency. The Panel undertaking the Review were tasked with considering how well Pharmac performed and whether its performance could be improved. It was also asked to look at equity of outcomes. Earlier this year, Cystic Fibrosis NZ made a submission to the Review Panel to raise its concerns over the performance of Pharmac and its impact on people with CF.

On 2 December, the Minister of Health released the Pharmac Review Panel’s Interim Report. The Panel concludes, amongst other things, that Pharmac is underperforming in helping to remove inequitable health outcomes, and its prioritisation approach appears to disadvantage Māori, Pacific people, disabled people, and those with rare disorders. Sadly, this will come as no surprise to the CF community. 

You can read the Review Panel’s Interim Report and hear from Sue Chetwin, the Chair of the Panel, at https://pharmacreview.health.govt.nz/interim-report/

The Review Panel will now focus its work on how Pharmac can be made more effective, and how it can be integrated into the health system changes that are currently underway. The Review Panel will also look further at funding for people with rare disorders.

Cystic Fibrosis NZ will continue to monitor the work of the Review Panel and will shortly be making a submission on the health system reform legislation that is currently going through Parliament.