News Update: cilazapril with hydrochlorothiazide will no longer be available in New Zealand

Patients currently prescribed cilazapril + hydrochlorothiazide...

Biosimilars: the future of prescribing biological medicines

Biological medicines are an important advancement in the pharmaceutical...

News update: Criteria widened for exceptional circumstances funding of lamotrigine

The funded brand of lamotrigine is changing

Changes in funded brands of antiepileptic medicines can lead...

Antiarrhythmic medicine brand changes: flecainide and amiodarone

Patients taking oral flecainide or amiodarone need to know that...

Vildagliptin: a new treatment for type 2 diabetes

Vildagliptin is a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor available...

Aripiprazole prescribing changes: Special Authority approval no longer required, new sole-subsidised brand

From 1 June, 2018, aripiprazole can be prescribed without Special...

Prescribing gabapentin and pregabalin: upcoming subsidy changes

From 1 May, 2018, pregabalin will be available to prescribe,...

Methylnaltrexone is a subsidised treatment option for opioid-induced constipation in palliative care

Methylnaltrexone injections are now subsidised for the treatment...

Intravenous ferric carboxymaltose: now available for the treatment of iron deficiency

Intravenous ferric carboxymaltose is now a potential option...

4% dimethicone lotion: a subsidised treatment for head lice

From 1 May, 2017, 4% dimethicone lotion can be prescribed fully...

Access to HPV vaccine widened

The human papillomavirus virus (HPV) vaccine reduces the incidence...

Medicine updates

Two newly funded medicines for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary...

News Updates

Medicines update: removal of Special Authority status | Antianginal...

Atypical antipsychotics: one fully subsidised brand for quetiapine, risperidone and olanzapine

At present there are multiple brands of some of the fully subsidised...

Gout update: Febuxostat now subsidised on Special Authority

Febuxostat was added to the New Zealand Pharmaceutical Schedule...

Fluoxetine brand change: Arrow-Fluoxetine sole subsidised brand from 1 July

From 1 July 2014, Arrow-Fluoxetine will be the sole subsidised...

Changes to the National Immunisation Schedule: rotavirus vaccine now added

Changes to the National Immunisation Schedule will soon take...

News Updates

Captopril tablets discontinued: ACE inhibitor alternatives |...

Risedronate now fully subsidised: What is its place in practice?

Risedronate has been fully subsided in New Zealand without restriction...

Ticagrelor – out with the old, in with the new?

Ticagrelor (Brilinta) is a new oral antiplatelet medicine, which...

Upfront: Unapproved medicines and unapproved uses of medicines: keeping prescribers and patients safe

An approved medicine is a medicine which has been through a...

An update on the management of gout

The management of gout involves treatment of an acute attack,...

News and updates: Update on azithromycin

Update on azithromycin: new prescriber information and ava...

Funding changes to diabetes management products announced

Key dates for the changes CareSens meters Insulin pumps

Schedule changes for asthma inhalers

From 1 February, 2012 schedule changes for some asthma medicines...

News in brief: Varenicline: amendments to Special Authority funding

Brief details on Varenicline use and changes to the special...

News in brief

Changes to nicotine replacement therapy prescriptions | Topical...

Snippets: Fentanyl patches

Fentanyl patches to be available without Special Authority in...

Snippets: Jadelle & Sibutramine

Jadelle – A newly funded long-acting contraceptive implant |...

Snippets: Insulin glargine & Ezetimibe

Insulin glargine – access widened from 1 August 2010 | Changes...

Access to clopidogrel now widened

Clopidogrel, an antiplatelet medicine, is now able to be prescribed...

Snippets: Iodine supplements Zoledronic acid & Atorvastatin

• Iodine supplements now funded
• Zoledronic acid now funded
• Atorvastatin...

The pharmacological management of Alzheimer’s disease: The place of donepezil

From November 1, 2010 donepezil will be funded without Special...

Practice snippets

Dextropropoxyphene-containing medicines to be withdrawn | Sibutramine...

Nicotine replacement therapy prescription changes

Details of changes to the funding/availability of nicotine...

Snippets: Nicotinic acid Fosamax Plus & Genetic testing

Nicotinic acid/laropiprant (Tredaptive) ▪ Fosamax Plus...

Are whānau paying the right amount for pharmaceuticals and health services?

He tika te utu rongoā, te utu ratonga hauora rānei? Cost...

How does PHARMAC assess if a brand change is appropriate

PHARMAC carefully considers whether brand changes for specific...

Accessing funded medicines in New Zealand

A brief guide for GPs to the methods used to access funded...

Removal of isotretinoin prescriber restrictions

From 1 March 2009 PHARMAC will widen access to vocationally...

Snippets: Anticonvulsants & Salbutamol

Anticonvulsants and suicide, subsidy changes for salbutamol,...

Brand change update: Ritalin SR now available by special access

In response to concerns raised by Medsafe and the Centre for...

Upfront: Changing to a Generic Drug

Visits the main points around changing to a generic drug from...

Counselling patients through a brand change

Advice on counselling patients through a brand change.