Pharmacology and Therapeutics Advisory Committee (PTAC)

The Committee provides objective clinical advice to Pharmac.

On this page

Updates to this page

19 December 2025 | Agenda for February 2026 meeting added

18 December 2025 | Provisional recommendations from November meeting added

4 December 2025 | PTAC record for August 2025 meeting added

About the Committee

The Pharmacology and Therapeutics Advisory Committee provides objective clinical advice to help Pharmac make decisions about how to use its funds wisely. It provides and promotes critical appraisal of the strength and quality of evidence for funding applications. This is applied rigorously, systematically, and consistently across all clinical areas.

It's made up of senior health practitioners from a range of specialities, who also regularly work with patients and their families. This means they can bring an evidence-based perspective but also provide insight on how Pharmac’s decisions apply to real people in New Zealand.

The Committee's part in the funding process

The committee's role in considering funding applications is set out in Pharmac’s Operating Policies and Procedures. Pharmac will assess the initial funding application and notify the applicant whether:

it will be considered by the Committee
it will be considered by a specialist advisory committee, or
further information is required before an assessment can be made.

The full details of Committee’s remit can be found in its Terms of Reference. The Terms of Reference were updated in 2021 to include the potential to have a consumer member, and increase consumer perspectives, on the Committee.

2021 PTAC Terms of Reference [PDF, 887 KB]

A recommendation from the Committee is not a guarantee that Pharmac will fund the medicine. Committee's advice is a vital step in the process for considering all funding applications, but it is not the only consideration. Pharmac must look at the whole picture to ensure we are getting the best health outcomes for New Zealand.

Pharmac's prioritisation process

Pharmacology and Therapeutics Advisory Committee members

Rhiannon Braund (Deputy Chair / Acting Chair) – Head, School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences
PhD, BPharm, BSc (Biochemistry), FPS, FNZCP, RegPharmNZ
Brian Anderson – Anaesthesia & Intensive Care Medicine Specialist
MBChB, Dip Obst, FANZCA, FCICM, PhD
Matthew Dawes – Physician and Clinical Pharmacologist
BSc, MB BS, MRCP, PhD
Elizabeth Dennett – General Surgery - Colorectal
BMedSci, MBChB, GradDipMed, MMedSci, MAppMgt(Hlth), FRACS, FASCRS
Helen Evans – Paediatric Gastroenterology and Hepatology
BSc, MBChB, MRCPCH, FRACP
Bruce King – Specialist Internal Medicine and Nephrology
MBChB, FRACP
Liza Lack – Clinical Director, National Hauora Coalition – Waikato
BMedSci, MB,BS,DRCOG,DFFPA,DCH,PGDip GP (Hons), Dip Strategic Management (Hons), Master Health Science
James Le Fevre – Emergency Medicine Specialist
MBChB, FACEM, MBA, CMInstD
Robyn Manuel – Consumer Member
BSc, MSc (1st class), PhD (Chemistry), PGDip.Public Health, Dip.Te Reo Maori, GradDip.Teaching (Secondary). Te Rarawa, Ngāti Kahu, Ngāti Kurī and Te Aupōuri
John Mottershead – Consultant Neurologist
FRACP, FRCP BM BCh, BA (oxon), MSc (Distinction)
Stephen Munn – Transplant Surgeon
MBChB, FRACS, FACS
Matthew Strother – Medical Oncologist
MD (USA), FRACP
Paul Vroegop – Child & Adolescent Liaison Psychiatrist and Specialist Pain Medicine Physician
MBChB, FRANZCP, FFPMANZCA

Committee members are appointed by the Director-General of Health, in consultation with the Pharmac Board. This process is guided by an appointment protocol [PDF, 72 KB].

Interested senior health practitioners can apply directly or are nominated by professional medical bodies, such as the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners and the Royal Australasian College of Physicians. Vacancies are posted on the Pharmac careers website(external link).

Committee meeting agenda setting

The scheduling and agenda setting process for advisory meetings considers multiple factors. We aim to balance the relative priorities of:

clinical advice needed across indications
the factors for consideration for each application (such as, unmet health need)
the time since applications were received
the internal and advisor resource available to support each meeting.

Deadlines for PTAC meetings

If Pharmac chooses to seek PTAC advice on a funding application, the application must have been received by the following dates to be available for consideration at one of PTAC’s four annual meetings.

Note: application deadlines have changed from previous years. If you have question, email ptac@pharmac.govt.nz

Deadline for an application to be received by Pharmac, to be considered by PTAC:	PTAC’s meeting date:
~~18 August 2025~~	~~13 and 14 November 2025~~
~~22 October 2025~~	12 and 13 February 2026 Agenda
14 January 2026	14 and 15 May 2026
8 April 2026	14 August 2026
7 July 2026	12 and 13 November 2026

Records of Committee meetings

Provisional recommendations from meetings

We’re trialling a new approach of releasing provisional recommendations within 30 business days of the Committee meeting. Once the full record is published, the provisional recommendations remain available as a download.

More about this approach

Pharmacology and Therapeutics Advisory Committee Provisional Recommendations 13 and 14 November 2025

Pharmaceutical and Indication	Provisional Recommendation
Nivolumab(external link) (in combination with cisplatin and gemcitabine) for the first line treatment of unresectable or metastatic urothelial carcinoma	Withheld*
Semaglutide(external link) for treatment of insufficiently controlled type 2 diabetes, subject to Special Authority criteria	High Priority
Anifrolumab(external link) for severe Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), subject to Special Authority criteria identifying a wider population	High Priority
Anifrolumab(external link) for severe Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), subject to Special Authority criteria identifying a narrower population	Low Priority
Bevacizumab(external link) for severe hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia, subject to Special Authority criteria	High Priority
Pembrolizumab(external link) subcutaneous formulation for all currently funded indications of intravenous pembrolizumab, subject to Special Authority criteria	Cost Neutral**
Vedolizumab(external link) subcutaneous formulation for the maintenance treatment of ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, subject to Special Authority criteria	Cost Neutral**
Tezepelumab(external link) for chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps, subject to Special Authority criteria	High Priority

*Withheld provisional recommendation – the applicant / supplier has requested the recommendation not be released until full record is available.

**Cost Neutral – The Committee has recommended this application be funded if the cost is neutral to the provision of the currently funded medicine(s), including the related health system costs

Summary of provisional recommendations from November 2025 PTAC meeting [PDF, 94 KB]