Medicine prescribing in New Zealand hits new high as PHARMAC role expands

New Zealanders have gained greater access to medicines in 2013, and record numbers of New Zealanders received funded medicines in the past year.

Pharmacy Management Agency PHARMAC’s 2012/13 Annual Review, published last week, reveals that 3.4 million New Zealanders received a funded medicine in the past year, the highest number ever. Moreover the number of funded prescription items has also continued to grow, to a record 42.2 million.

PHARMAC chief executive Steffan Crausaz says this high level of medicine access has occurred while PHARMAC has continued to manage pharmaceutical funding within budget, and grown the scope of its work to incorporate vaccines and hospital medicines. Combined Pharmaceutical Budget spending rose to NZ$783.6 million ($639.7 million) for the year.