PHARMAC's Place in the NZ Medicines System
PHARMAC is part of the overall New Zealand medicines system. We interact with other parts of the system, such as 
Medsafe and District Health Boards, to provide New Zealanders with affordable access to prescription medicines, and to promote the optimal use of medicines.
See our Our Place in the Medicines System (2 pages, 132 KB) Information Sheet for more details.
The activity of all the agencies in the medicines system is guided by Medicines New Zealand, an overarching strategy released in 2007 by the Ministry of Health. The strategy is intended to inform decision-making over the long term and to deliver a world-class medicines system for New Zealanders.
Medicines New Zealand provides the platform for a medicines system that:
- delivers equitable access to safe, quality medicines that are used in the most effective ways possible
- is transparent, accessible and trusted by stakeholders
- delivers affordable medicines that meet the needs of New Zealanders and is sustainable for New Zealand.
The strategy was accompanied by an action plan, Actioning Medicines New Zealand which includes specific activities for PHARMAC. Implementing these actions is a high priority for us and we will update this page with information relevant to our progress on this work.
Actioning Medicines New Zealand - PHARMAC's Activites
Review of PTAC's Terms of Reference
PHARMAC began reviewing the (then named) PTAC Guidelines in 2006. During the development of the Government’s medicine strategy, some stakeholders expressed concern about PTAC’s ability to provide PHARMAC with independent and objective advice in relation to medicines funding applications. Responding to submitters’ concerns, Actioning Medicines New Zealand required PHARMAC to consult broadly on changes to PTAC’s operational guidelines to ensure optimal arrangements are in place for PTAC to provide free and frank advice to the PHARMAC Board.
The Terms of Reference for the Pharmacology and Therapeutics Advisory Committee (PTAC) and PTAC Subcommittees (32 pages, 738 KB) (PTAC ToR) covers all aspects of PTAC’s and subcommittees’ functions and operations, including the relationship with PHARMAC; membership; remuneration; the responsibilities of members; and the process for reviewing funding applications.
Overall, the changes to PTAC’s ToR are designed to provide more clarity about the Committee’s role and functions, and to increase public confidence in its operations. While the review confirmed that existing arrangements already enabled PTAC to provide high quality objective advice to PHARMAC, it identified some opportunities for improvement and clarification.
The changes to the PTAC ToR are in three main areas:
- Increasing transparency of PTAC and subcommittee considerations
- Clarifying the Committees’ role, scope and functions
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Clarifying the relationship with PHARMAC
A summary of issues raised in consultation and PHARMAC’s rationale for including or excluding changes proposed by stakeholders is available here (28 pages, 232 KB). Full submissions were considered by the PHARMAC Board, and are available on request.
Progress Report
We included a progress report (3 pages, 431 KB) on our Actioning Medicines New Zealand activities in our 2008 annual report.
The PHARMAC Forum
Actioning Medicines New Zealand requires PHARMAC to hold a regular forum for interested stakeholders to comment on Pharmac’s operation, including Pharmac’s stakeholder engagement activity.
Information about the first PHARMAC Forum can be viewed here.
Page updated on 27 Mar 2009
Linked documents
Our Place in the Medicines System (2 pages, 132 KB)
PHARMAC Information sheet Our place in the medicines system Our roles PHARMAC has four main roles. These are: • managing the Pharmaceutical Schedule, the list of government-subsidised medicines • promoting the optimal use of medicines • managing subsidies on medicines…
PTAC Terms of Reference 2008 (32 pages, 738 KB)
CONTENTS Glossary of terms ….. 3 1 Establishment …. 5 1.1 1.2 PTAC ….5 PTAC Subcommittees …5 Activities of PTAC and PTAC Subcommittees …5 Matters that PTAC and PTAC Subcommittees are to consider …..5 Relationship with PHARMAC…..7 Relationship between PTAC…
Summary of consultation submissions (28 pages, 232 KB)
Summary of all submissions to consultation on the draft Terms of Reference for the Pharmacology & Therapeutics Advisory Committee (PTAC) and PTAC Subcommittees (“PTAC ToR”) PHARMAC has recently completed a review of the PTAC Guidelines (now known as PTAC ToR)…
