This is the text extract for Inside the Pharmaceutical Schedule, browse documents here.

---

Pharmaceutical Management Agency

information sheet

Inside the Pharmaceutical Schedule

What is the Pharmaceutical Schedule?

The Pharmaceutical Schedule is the list of all the medicines and therapeutic products that PHARMAC subsidises. There are about 1800 subsidised medicines. The Schedule lists medicines by chemical name (e.g. aspirin) and brand name (e.g. Ethics Aspirin). It lists the formulations, doses and subsidy price of the medicine, as well as any prescribing guidelines or access criteria. The Schedule explains what we do, lists our Board Members and Committee Members, our Decision Criteria and provides an upto-date list of PHARMAC staff. The Schedule is divided into eight sections (A-H). Section B is the largest as this contains a listing of all community pharmaceuticals (those that are subsidised when prescribed in a community setting). Section H is printed separately and provides information about medicines that are contracted to be supplied to public hospitals at specified prices.

14

Who uses it?

The Schedule is a reference book for all prescribers (doctors, specialists, midwives, nurses, etc) and other health professionals (such as pharmacists, medical libraries, professional bodies and support groups)

How often is it published?

The online version of the Schedule is always updated with the latest information: http://www.pharmac.govt.nz/healthpros/Schedule The published (hard copy) Schedule comes out three times a year and Updates are produced monthly. The Schedule always needs to be read in conjunction with the latest Update. As they are cumulative, we recommend that users dispose of the previous Updates when they receive a new one. The Schedule and Updates are produced as books (hard copy and PDF) and a database. The database is sent monthly to the companies that provide general practice and pharmacy software, to integrate it into their systems so they contain up to date subsidy information. >>

How can I access the Schedule?

Health professionals can subscribe to receive the printed version of the Schedule for a fee. To subscribe, please email schedule@pharmac.govt.nz with your name, postal address and occupation. You can access the Schedule at no cost via our website: http://www.pharmac.govt.nz/healthpros/Schedule. From this link you can download a PDF document, do an on-line search for information or browse the Schedule by therapeutic group

How do I understand the listings?

Across the bottom of each page in the Schedule is a list of the important abbreviations and symbols. The diagram overleaf explains how to read an entry. We provide training to new prescribers on how to use the Schedule. If you have any questions about the Schedule or subsidised medicines, please contact us by email at schedule@pharmac.govt.nz or 0800 66 00 50 (9am-5pm weekdays).

Explaining drug entries

The Pharmaceutical Schedule lists pharmaceuticals subsidised by the government, the amount of that subsidy paid to contractors, the supplier’s price and the access conditions that may apply. Note that the final price paid by DHBs may be less than the listed price, due to the presence of confidential rebates (refer to our Information Sheet Purchasing Medicines).

---

PHARMAC Information sheet

ANATOMICAL HEADING

Subsidy (Manufacturer’s Price) $

Per

Fully Brand or Subsidised Generic ✓ Manufacturer

Three months supply may be dispensed at one time if endorsed “certified exemption” by the prescriber. Practitioner’s Supply Order (or WSO for Wholesale Supply Order)

THERAPEUTIC HEADING

CHEMICAL Presentation, form and strength...........................................................10.00 100 ✓ Brand A ✓ Brand B

Brand or manufacturer’s name Sole subsidised supply product Fully subsidised product Original Pack - Subsidy is rounded up to a multiple of whole packs

Presentation - Available on a PSO........................................................15.00

50

✓ Brand C

Presentation - Retail pharmacy-specialist.............................................18.00 a) Prescriptions must be written by a paediatrician or paediatric cardiologist; or b) on the recommendation of a paediatrician or a paediatric cardiologist

250 ml OP

✓ Brand D

Safety cap reimbursed

Conditions of and restrictions on prescribing (including Special Authority where it applies)

CHEMICAL Presentation, form and strength...........................................................26.53

*

100 Brand E

Quantity the Subsidy applies to Subsidy paid on a product before mark-ups and GST Manufacturer’s Price if different from Subsidy

(35.27)

Three months or six months, as applicable, dispensed all-at-once

Sole Supply ✓ Fully Subsidised

Three months supply may be dispensed at one time if endorsed “certified exemption” by the prescriber

Contacting Us

Call us on 0800 66 00 50 (between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday), Write to us at: PHARMAC, PO Box 10 254, Wellington – we respond to all letters Email us at enquiry@pharmac.govt.nz – we respond to all emails Information Sheets on various PHARMAC topics are available from our website: www.pharmac.govt.nz/patients/infosheets If you have specific areas of interest (such as consultations, committees or vacancies), visit our website and subscribe to news feeds in the area(s) of interest to you: http://pharmac.govt.nz/feeds