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28 September 2009

Lansoprazole (Solox) supply agreement approved

PHARMAC is pleased to announce the approval of a supply agreement with Douglas Pharmaceuticals for lansoprazole (Solox). Lansoprazole is a proton-pump inhibitor used in the management of various conditions including reflux oesophagitis, duodenal and gastric ulcers.

Details of the decision

The price and subsidy of Solox will be reduced in Section B and in Part II of Section H of the Pharmaceutical Schedule from 1 November 2009 as follows (ex-manufacturer, excluding GST):

Form and Strength Cap 15 mg Cap 30 mg

Pack size 28 28

Current price and subsidy $4.30 $8.59

New price and subsidy $3.50 $4.65

Solox will have subsidy and delisting protection until 31 October 2012 and remain fully subsidised during this period of time. If you have any queries about this funding decision you can call our toll free number (9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday) on 0800 66 00 50.

What feedback was received?

We appreciate the feedback we received and acknowledge the time people took to respond. All consultation responses were considered in the decision on the proposed changes. All responses were generally supportive of the proposal. There was some confusion that the proposal was to start funding lansoprazole and queried whether there was a need to fund an additional proton pump inhibitor and the impact that this would have on hospital stock management. We note that lansoprazole has been fully subsidised in the community and listed in Section H of the Pharmaceutical Schedule since 2007. We are unaware of concerns by DHBs that the funding of lansoprazole is having any significant impact on stock management in hospitals. One respondent requested that we fund a dissolvable proton pump inhibitor tablet, which PHARMAC would be willing to consider should a pharmaceutical supplier put forward a proposal.

A310538 - T09-365

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