Pharmac update

Pharmac update Get your personalised prescribing data - Evaluating Prescribing to inform Care (EPiC) prescribing dashboards EPiC is a prescribing data analytics tool that can be used to explore your prescribing behaviour.

Dashboards covering diabetes, cardiovascular disease and gout are now available.

Prescribers can compare their own prescribing, over time, to prescribing for all patients within their practice, using a range of demographic filters.

Find out more and sign up at the He Ako Hiringa website.

We want you! Expressions of Interest for Pharmac’s Advisory Committees Pharmac is looking for new members for our Advisory Committees. We’re particularly keen for expressions of interest from healthcare practitioners in primary care, those who bring a commitment to and understanding of te Tiriti in healthcare, and those that would help us to ensure a diverse and inclusive membership.

Pharmac’s Advisory Committees provide us with specialist knowledge and expertise within specific clinical areas, such as diabetes, cancer, and mental health. You can find more information about Advisory Committees roles and responsibilities on the Pharmac website.

If you are interested in being involved in Pharmac’s clinical advice network, send an email to advisorycommittees@pharmac.govt.nz letting us know your specific clinical area/s of interest.

COVID-19: Information for prescribers Molnupiravir and Paxlovid available in the community Molnupiravir (brand name Lageviro) and Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir with ritonavir) are available and funded with access criteria. Always check criteria before prescribing.

Pharmac website – Covid-19 oral antivirals: Access Criteria More information on how Paxlovid can be accessed and distributed to patients, and education material for healthcare professionals can be found on the Ministry of Health website.

Ministry of Health website: Information and guidance on use of Paxlovid

Funded treatments Pharmac has negotiated agreements to purchase a range of COVID-19 treatments. You can keep up to date on the portfolio of treatments on the Pharmac website.

Managing supply Please prescribe normally and encourage patients not to stockpile medicines.

Pharmac, pharmacies and suppliers are working closely to maintain medicines supply, and to minimise disruption and fairly distribute any medicines in short supply.

More information about Pharmac’s response to COVID-19 is available on the Pharmac website.

Supporting patients taking adalimumab Most patients using Humira will need to transition to the Amgevita of adalimumab.

Prescribers involved in the care of people taking adalimumab will need to ensure patients have the information they need about the change.

Check the Pharmac website for more information including links to education resources and support for patients.

PenMix 40 (insulin isophane with insulin neutral): Discontinuation PenMix 40 will no longer be funded from 1 December 2022. We encourage healthcare professionals to discuss a safe transition to an alternative funded product selected based on your patient’s individual needs.

PenMix 30 and PenMix 50 are unaffected and will remain available.

Further information is available on the Pharmac website.

Hydrocortisone with natamycin and neomycin cream (Pimafucort cream): Discontinuation Pimafucort cream 15 g was discontinued on 1 February 2022.

We have been made aware that some stock of Pimafucort cream is still available within the supply chain and at pharmacy level. To enable the dispensing and claiming of this stock, we have re-listed Pimafucort cream in the community Schedule from 10 May 2022.

Further information is available on the Pharmac website.

Norimin 84 pack: Supply issue The supplier has advised of a short-term supply issue with Ethinyloestradiol with norethisterone (Norimin) 84 pack. Resupply is expected by mid-June 2022.

Pfizer have sourced the Australian version of their product to cover the out of stock. This is listed in the Pharmaceutical Schedule. It comes in a 4-month pack (not the standard NZ 3-month pack).

Further information is available on the Pharmac website.

Losartan: Supply issue for 25 mg Supply of 25 mg losartan has been exhausted. Further shipments are expected in May and June.

All other presentations (including with hydrochlorothiazide) are available and alternative funded treatments, such as candesartan, have ample supply.

Losartan and losartan with hydrochlorothiazide are currently on monthly dispensing.

Further information is available on the Pharmac website.

Ibuprofen Oral liquid 20 mg per ml, 200 ml bottle: Supply issue There are low stock levels of the funded Ethics brand of ibuprofen oral liquid. An alternative brand, Fenpaed, is funded to cover this low stock.

Further information is available on the Pharmac website.

Primidone: Packaging and name change From May the packaging and brand name on primidone packs will change. The tablets are the same as the current funded product and are manufactured at the same location. The brand name will be change from ‘Apo-Primidone’ to ‘Primidone’.

Further information is available on the Pharmac website.

Nutricia foods products: Supply issue affecting multiple products Most of the supply issues affecting Nutricia special foods products have been resolved. There will continue to be supply issues for some products throughout the first half of 2022.

Check the Pharmac website regularly for updates on products.

Atomoxetine caps 10 mg, 80 mg, 100 mg: Supply issue There is a supply issue with the 10 mg, 80 mg and 100 mg strengths of atomoxetine capsules. Resupply should occur by the end of May. Alternative supplies of an Australian version of atomoxetine are funded. These are not Medsafe approved and must be prescribed and supplied under section 29 of the Medicine Act. Patients who are unable to obtain the 80 mg presentation can be given 2x 40 mg capsules until normal supply is resumed.

Further information is available on the Pharmac website.

Daunorubicin Inj 2 mg per ml, 10 ml: Supply issue There is a short-term supply issue with daunorubicin inj 2 mg per ml, 10 ml. Stock is expected to run out by mid-May 2022 with resupply expected by the end of June 2022.

An alternative product, Daunorubicin Zentiva, is funded and will be available until Pfizer's daunorubicin product is resupplied. Daunorubicin Zentiva is not Medsafe approved and will need to be prescribed and supplied under Section 29 of the Medicines Act. Further information is available on the Pharmac website.

Keep up to date on supply issues and brand changes Pharmac regularly updates its website with information about changes in brand and any current or emerging supply issues.

You can find information about current issues on the Pharmac website.