How PHARMAC gets clinical advice into their decision-making

How PHARMAC gets clinical advice into their decision-making

Medical advice

PHARMAC requires good advice from clinicians to make decisions on medicines funding. This advice is received in a number of ways, including through expert committees. PHARMAC also keeps up-to-date with the latest clinical information through ongoing professional development, monitoring of trial results and medical journal articles.

PTAC

The main clinical advice comes from an expert committee of medical practitioners, the Pharmacology and Therapeutics Advisory Committee. PTAC has been part of the health system since the 1950s and, in 1993, began providing advice to PHARMAC.

PTAC’s role & relationship to PHARMAC

PTAC considers clinical evidence around funding applications, and takes into account PHARMAC’s Factors for Consideration before making recommendations to PHARMAC on medicines funding. The Factors for Consideration are part of PHARMAC’s Operating Policies and Procedures.

Read more about the Factors for Consideration: Reference [3] PTAC members are not employed by PHARMAC (although they are reimbursed for the time they give to serving on the committee). The committee has 10 members who have expertise in examining clinical studies and broad experience and knowledge of medicines and the conditions they treat. PTAC meets four times a year and the Chair of PTAC attends PHARMAC Board meetings as an observer and to share PTAC’s views directly with the Board. PTAC makes recommendations to PHARMAC to help us make decisions. PTAC operates under defined Terms of Reference which are available on PHARMAC’s website. The Terms of Reference were reviewed in 2021.

How are PTAC members appointed?

Members are appointed by the Director-General of the Ministry of Health. Membership terms are usually three years and may be renewed. The process for appointing members is explained in an Appointment Protocol, also available on PHARMAC’s website.

What does PTAC take into account when providing advice?

PTAC applies the same decision-making framework as the PHARMAC Board when making recommendations. Some stakeholders have suggested that PTAC should focus exclusively on clinical effectiveness, since that is its major expertise. As clinicians, however, PTAC members are also concerned with, and can usefully comment on, other factors including cost and opportunity cost, health inequalities and health need.