April 2026 Tender notification

Medicines Tender

What we’re doing

Pharmac is announcing recent decisions from its Annual Invitation to Tender (ITT) process. This notification includes:

  • details about decisions on medicines included in the 2024/25 ITT and in the 2025/26 ITT

You can see the full technical details of the tender decisions in the Tender Results section.

The table below provides a summary of the outcomes for the remaining unresolved medicines included in the May 2025 and July 2025 additional brand change consultations.

Medicine

What medicine is used for

Outcome

Calcitriol cap 0.25 mcg

A form of vitamin D, used for people with severe kidney disease to lower their parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels.

Brand change.

Calcitriol cap 0.5 mcg

Brand change.

Calcium gluconate Inj 10%

Used to treat acute hypocalcaemia; hypocalcaemic tetany; hyperkalaemia with secondary cardiac toxicity; and hypermagnesaemia.

Still under consideration.

Iron (as Ferric Carboxymaltose) inj 50 mg per ml, 10 ml vial

An iron infusion used to treat iron-deficiency or anemia.

Still under consideration.

Ivermectin tab 3 mg

Used to treat certain types of parasite infections, and for scabies when other treatments have not worked well.

Still under consideration.

Methenamine (hexamine) Hippurate tab 1 g

Used to prevent urinary tract infections (UTIs).

Still under consideration.

Nilotinib cap 150 mg

Used to treat newly diagnosed chronic phase Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukaemia, chronic or accelerated phase Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukaemia resistant or intolerant to previous therapy.

Still under consideration.

Nilotinib cap 200 mg

Still under consideration.

Raltegravir potassium tab 600 mg

Used for the treatment of HIV-1 infection in combination with other antiretroviral drugs.

Still under consideration.

Sunscreens, propriety

SPF 50+ or greater

Used to help protect your skin from the sun’s damaging ultraviolet (UV) light when outdoors.

Still under consideration.

Water for injection purified for inj, 500 ml bag

Used to dissolve or dilute medicines which may then be injected. It can also be used for washing and cleaning purposes during minor surgical procedures, and to clean wounds.

Still under consideration.   

Xylometazoline nasal spray 0.1%

Used to help nasal congestion.

Still under consideration.

Why we’re doing this

Pharmac’s annual tender process allows suppliers to bid to be the main supplier of off-patent medicines. This year’s tender is expected to free up between $30 million and $50 million, which will be reinvested into funding new treatments.

Following feedback from previous brand changes, Pharmac introduced a new consultation step to better engage with stakeholders. In response, we received feedback on the items included in the 2024/25 ITT, which helped shape our decisions.

How your feedback helped

The feedback received was considered as part of the decision-making process and has helped shape our implementation activities to support people through this brand change. We want to thank everyone who took the time to share their feedback. We heard from a range of people including healthcare professionals, advocacy groups and users of medicines. You provided feedback about:

  • packaging and labelling considerations
  • the resources and communications needed to support a brand change
  • the people who may need additional support when undergoing a brand change

Who may be most interested

  • People who use funded medicines
  • Healthcare professionals
  • Advocacy groups
  • Suppliers

If you have any questions about the decisions in this notification, 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.

Tender results – Invitation to Tender 2024/24 & 2025/26

Pharmac has resolved to award or not award tenders for Principal Supply Status for some products included in the 2024/25 Invitation to Tender dated 31 October 2024 and in the 2025/26 Invitation to Tender dated 3 November 2025.

Some of the Pharmaceuticals that will be delisted when the period of Principal Supply Status commences may be subject to existing listing contracts with Pharmac. Suppliers of Pharmaceuticals that are subject to such contracts should continue to supply their Pharmaceutical under those contracts. Pharmac will continue to subsidise those Pharmaceuticals accordingly until such time as those Pharmaceuticals are delisted.

Notification of Product Changes (NOPC) forms

Please note that for any changes (price change, pack size change, new listing etc) to be effective in the Pharmaceutical Schedule (including Section H), suppliers are required to submit a Notification of Product Changes (NOPC) form to Pharmac, the Pharmacy Guild and the NZULM by:

  • For new listings, by 4pm on the 12th of May 2026 or the 5th of the month prior to listing, whichever is earlier
  • For price changes, by 4pm on the 12th of the month prior to the date of subsidy change

Pharmac cannot list a product (and Pharmacies cannot claim) without this information. More information about this process, and a copy of the NOPC form can be found on our website.

Suppliers are required to ensure that a Pharmacode has been obtained from the Pharmacy Guild of New Zealand(external link) (external link)and that a CTPP code has been obtained from the New Zealand Universal List of Medicines(external link). Pharmacodes and CTPP codes must be provided to Pharmac by the 5th of the month prior to the date of listing, or 10 business days following the market notification date (whichever is earliest). Pharmac cannot list a product (and Pharmacies cannot claim) without the correct Pharmacode.

2024/25 Tender – Principal Supply Status applies until 30 June 2028

Community Pharmaceutical tenders – Section B of the Pharmaceutical Schedule

The decisions were as follows:

1. Tenders awarded to pharmaceuticals where at least one other brand is listed (the funded brand will change)

Chemical name

Presentation;
Pack size and type

Current pack price

New pack price

Principal Supply brand
(Supplier)

Date of subsidy change

Principal Supply date

Brand (Supplier) affected by delisting

Calcitriol

Cap 0.25 mcg; 100 capsule blister pack

$7.89

$6.31

Calcitriol Devatis (Devatis)

1 September 2026

1 February 2027

Calcitriol-AFT (AFT)

Calcitriol XL (AFT)

Calcitriol

Cap 0.5 mcg; 100 capsule blister pack

$13.68

$10.94

Calcitriol Devatis (Devatis)

1 September 2026

1 February 2027

Calcitriol-AFT (AFT)

Calcitriol XL (AFT)

Hospital Pharmaceutical tenders – Section H of the Pharmaceutical Schedule.

The decisions were as follows:

2. Tenders awarded to pharmaceuticals where at least one other brand is listed (the funded brand will change)

Chemical name

Presentation;
Pack size and type

Current pack price

New pack price

Principal Supply brand
(Supplier)

Date of subsidy change

Principal Supply date

Brand (Supplier) affected by delisting

Calcitriol

Cap 0.25 mcg; 100 capsule blister pack

$7.89

$6.31

Calcitriol Devatis (Devatis)

1 September 2026

1 February 2027

Calcitriol-AFT (AFT)

Calcitriol XL (AFT)

Calcitriol

Cap 0.5 mcg; 100 capsule blister pack

$13.68

$10.94

Calcitriol Devatis (Devatis)

1 September 2026

1 February 2027

Calcitriol-AFT (AFT)

Calcitriol XL (AFT)

2025/26 Tender – Principal Supply Status applies until 30 June 2029

Community Pharmaceutical tenders – Section B of the Pharmaceutical Schedule

The decisions were as follows:

3. Tenders awarded to currently listed pharmaceuticals where no other brand is listed (no brand change)

Chemical name

Presentation;
Pack size and type

Current pack price

New pack price

Principal Supply brand
(Supplier)

Date of subsidy change

Principal Supply date

Vitamins

Tab (BPC cap strength); 1,000 tablet bottle

$24.00

$21.65

Mvite (Evara)

1 July 2026

1 December 2026

Vancomycin

Inj 500 mg vial; 10 vial pack

$3.38 (per 1)

$28.50

Vancomycin Viatris (Viatris)

1 July 2026

1 February 2027

Hospital Pharmaceutical tenders – Section H of the Pharmaceutical Schedule.

4. Tenders awarded to currently listed pharmaceuticals where no other brand is listed (no brand change)

Chemical name

Presentation;
Pack size and type

Current pack price

New pack price

Principal Supply brand
(Supplier)

 

DV Limit

Date of subsidy change

Principal Supply date

Multivitamins

Tab (BPC cap strength); 1,000 tablet bottle

$24.00

$21.65

Mvite (Evara)

5%

1 July 2026

1 December 2026

Vancomycin

Inj 500 mg vial; 10 vial pack

$3.38 (per 1)

$28.50

Vancomycin Viatris (Viatris)

5%

1 July 2026

1 February 2027

Tender declines – Products where no tender is to be awarded for Principal Supply Status

Pharmac has resolved not to award tenders for Principal Supply Status for the following products listed in the 2025/26 Invitation to Tender, dated 3 November 2025.

Chemical Name

Line Item

Lithium carbonate

Immediate-release tab/cap

Minocycline hydrochloride

Inj 100 mg - 200 mg

Mitomycin C

Inj 2 mg - 5 mg

Pentamidine

Inj 300 mg

Prazosin Hydrochloride

Tab 1 mg

Prazosin Hydrochloride

Tab 2 mg

Prazosin Hydrochloride

Tab 5 mg

Telmisartan

Tab 40 mg

Telmisartan

Tab 80 mg

Voriconazole

Powder for oral suspension 40 mg per ml

Vancomycin injection pack size change

The pack size for vancomycin inj 500 mg vial (Vancomycin Viatris, supplied by Viatris) is changing from a 1 vial pack to a 10 vial pack. The ingredients and formula remain the same.

Clinical advice on this change has been sought from the Tender Clinical Advisory Committee (TCAC), who evaluate whether the proposed brands of medicines are suitable to be awarded Principal Supply Status (PSS). The TCAC is made up of a range of healthcare professionals including community and hospital pharmacists, nurses and doctors who have hands-on experience with medicines and understand the practical implications of different product characteristics.

The TCAC considered this pack size change suitable for PSS.

When is it happening?

1 July 2026 | New pack size listed in the Schedule.

1 February 2027 | 1 vial pack delisted from the Schedule.

What you told us

In addition to the themes identified in the July 2025 Tender Notification II from the consultation feedback received for medicines included in the 2024/25 ITT, the table below outlines the themes identified in the feedback received for calcitriol capsules.

Theme

Pharmac Comment

Calcitriol capsules

Requested prioritised funding of a licensed product.

 Calcitriol Devatis is Medsafe approved.