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31 May 2012 Media release PHARMAC moves to streamline access to Pharmaceutical Schedule PHARMAC is moving to streamline access to the Pharmaceutical Schedule, the list of medicines funded by the Government. The Government medicine funder has launched a website to manage subscriptions to the Schedule, allowing people who want to subscribe to the hard copy Schedule to do so for a nominal fee. Subscribing through www.schedule.co.nz will also ensure people receive an email to inform them when the new version of the electronic Schedule becomes available. People will need to register through the website to receive emails or the paper Schedule. PHARMAC’s manager Schedule and Contracts Rachel Mackay says PHARMAC will continue to make the Schedule free electronically through two formats – a searchable online Schedule and a printable PDF version. The Schedule is also provided to doctor and pharmacy software providers who incorporate it in their systems. “Moving to a focus on electronic formats has a number of benefits,” says Rachel Mackay. “It will help ensure health professionals are always using the most up to date Schedule information. It will also help reduce printing cost and paper wastage. Using a nominal fee for the printed Schedule will ensure it only goes to people who really want it.” PHARMAC’s has printed up to 13,500 Schedule publications each month. With the shift to a focus on electronic formats, PHARMAC expects to only have to print 2,500 hard copy Schedule publications per month. Subscriptions are being taken now and become effective from 1 July 2012. Annual subscriptions are $55 for the Community Schedule (which includes 3 Schedules and 12 monthly Updates), $15 for the hospital Schedule (3 Schedules per year), or $65 for both. The fee is nominal and doesn’t cover the full cost of printing and postage. ENDS