Decision to open list rosuvastatin tablets

What we’re doing

We are pleased to announce our decision to remove the Special Authority and Hospital Restrictions on rosuvastatin tab 5 mg, tab 10 mg, tab 20 mg and tab 40 mg from 1 October 2026.

We are also announcing that the pack size for rosuvastatin tab 5 mg, tab 10 mg, tab 20 mg and tab 40 mg will change from 30 tablets to 90 tablets from 1 August 2027. From 1 February 2027 to 1 August 2027, both a 30 tablet and 90 tablet bottle of the Rosuvastatin Viatris brand of rosuvastatin tablets will be listed on the Pharmaceutical Schedule, after which the 30 tablet bottle will be delisted.

Why we’re doing this

Currently, rosuvastatin tablets are only available to people meeting Special Authority eligibility criteria. We have heard from prescribers and people living with high cholesterol (hypercholesterolemia) that having rosuvastatin tablets listed without restrictions is an important step towards improving access and the health of people living with high cholesterol and cardiovascular disease. 

Open listing rosuvastatin tablets on the Pharmaceutical Schedule will mean it is available to everyone without the need for a healthcare practitioner to complete a Special Authority request form, reducing the administrative burden for healthcare professionals. Approximately 76,000 people in New Zealand currently access rosuvastatin tablets each year. We estimate that in the first year following the changes being introduced, an additional 65,000 people would access this medicine, growing to an additional 108,000 people over five years.

Rosuvastatin tablets were included in Pharmac’s 2025/26 Annual Invitation to Tender. Following this tender process, the decision has been made to award Principal Supply Status to the Rosuvastatin Viatris brand of rosuvastatin tablets from 1 March 2027.

About rosuvastatin

Rosuvastatin is a potent lipid-lowering medicine, known as a statin. Statins help reduce the levels of total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and triglycerides. Rosuvastatin is used to prevent cardiovascular events in high-risk patients and reduce cholesterol in patients with high cholesterol. Rosuvastatin is a potent statin, meaning it can lower “bad” LDL cholesterol more effectively at lower doses compared with other funded statins. For most people, this translates to a greater reduction in cholesterol and potentially greater protection against heart attacks and strokes.

The availability of rosuvastatin without restriction would provide an alternative statin treatment option for people. It may be particularly beneficial for people whose cholesterol levels have not been adequately reduced by other treatments, or for those who have not been able to tolerate other treatments.

Who we think will be most interested

• People with high cholesterol who have not responded to other cholesterol lowering medicines, and their whānau
• Cardiologists and Internal Medicine Specialists
• Cardiac Society of Australia & New Zealand
• Patient Support Groups
• Primary Care Prescribers
• Community and Hospital Pharmacies
• Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora
• Specialists and clinicians
• Pharmaceutical suppliers and wholesalers 

Detail about this decision

From 1 October 2026, rosuvastatin tablets will be listed in Section B and Part II of Section H of the Pharmaceutical Schedule without Special Authority criteria or Hospital restrictions.

From 1 October 2026, the price of the Rosuvastatin Viatris brand of rosuvastatin tablets will change in Section B and Part II of Section H of the Pharmaceutical Schedule as below:

From 1 February 2027, a 90 tablet bottle of the Rosuvastatin Viatris brand of rosuvastatin tablets will be listed in Section B and Part II of Section H of the Pharmaceutical Schedule alongside the 30 tablet bottle of the Rosuvastatin Viatris brand of rosuvastatin tablets as below:

There are currently two funded brands of rosuvastatin, Rosuvastatin Viatris and Rosuvastatin - Sandoz. On 1 April 2026, Rosuvastatin - Sandoz was listed as an alternative brand to cover a supply issue for this market. From 1 July 2026, another alternative brand, Rosuvastatin Mylan, will also be listed on the Pharmaceutical Schedule to support consistent supply for patients. On 1 March 2027, the Rosuvastatin - Sandoz and Rosuvastatin Mylan brands of rosuvastatin tablets will be delisted from Section B and Part II of Section H of the Pharmaceutical Schedule and the Rosuvastatin Viatris brand will be the main funded brand of rosuvastatin tablets.

From 1 March 2027 until 1 August 2027, both the 30 tablet bottle and 90 tablet bottle of the Rosuvastatin Viatris brand of rosuvastatin tablets will have Principal Supply Status. On 1 August 2027, the 30 tablet bottle of the Rosuvastatin Viatris brand of rosuvastatin tablets will be delisted from Section B and Part II of Section H of the Pharmaceutical Schedule. From 1 August 2027 until 30 June 2029, the 90 tablet bottle of the Rosuvastatin Viatris brand of rosuvastatin tablets will have Principal Supply Status. This means that Rosuvastatin Viatris will be the main funded brand of rosuvastatin tablets until 30 June 2029. If someone cannot use the Rosuvastatin Viatris brand of rosuvastatin tablets for clinical reasons, Pharmac may consider applications for an alternative brand through the Exceptional Circumstances framework.

If you have any questions about this decision, you can email us at enquiry@pharmac.govt.nz; or call our toll-free number (9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday) on 0800 660 050.