December 2025 Tender notification

18 December 2025

Medicines Tender

What we’re doing

Pharmac is announcing recent decisions from its annual tender process. This notification includes:

Decisions on medicines following our additional round of consultation, for medicines where Pharmac was considering a possible brand change
A summary of the feedback we received from the consultation.

Brand changes will begin to take effect from May 2026.

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 last year’s brand changes, Pharmac introduced a new consultation step to better engage with stakeholders. We consulted on the impact of potential brand changes and this feedback helped shape our decisions. Over 30 individuals and groups responded, highlighting the importance of clear communication and support during transitions between brands.

Following stakeholder feedback on the format of our tender notifications, we have updated the table below to provide a summary of the outcomes for the remaining unresolved medicines from the May and July consultations.

Medicine	What medicine is used for	Outcome
Bortezomib inj 3.5 mg	used to treat multiple myeloma	Still under consideration
Calcitriol cap 0.25 mcg	A form of vitamin D, used for people with severe kidney disease to lower their parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels.	Still under consideration
Calcitriol cap 0.5 mcg		Still under consideration
Calcium Gluconate Inj 10%	Used to treat acute hypocalcaemia; hypocalcaemic tetany; hyperkalaemia with secondary cardiac toxicity; and hypermagnesaemia.	Still under consideration
Carmustine inj 100 mg vial	used to treat multiple myeloma, non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, and brain tumours	Still under consideration
Colchicine tab 500 mcg	used to treat and prevent gout attacks and other inflammatory conditions.	Still under consideration
Icatibant inj 10 mg per ml, 3 ml prefilled syringe	used to relieve acute attacks of hereditary angioedema (HAE) in patients with C1-esterase inhibitor deficiency	Brand change.
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
Paracetamol oral liq 120 mg per 5 ml	used to treat mild to moderate pain, such as headaches, toothaches, muscle aches, and to reduce fever.	Brand change.
Paracetamol oral liq 250 mg per 5 ml		No brand change.
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.
Teriparatide inj 250 mcg per ml	used to treat osteoporosis (bone loss)	Still under consideration
Testosterone undecanoate inj 250 mg per ml	Long-acting form of testosterone that helps increase testosterone levels in the body.	Brand change.
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.

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

How your feedback helped

The feedback received was considered as part of the decision-making process. It has also informed how Pharmac will support people through the upcoming brand changes. 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

Your feedback has helped to inform our implementation plans to support any brand changes.

Summary of feedback received

Who may be most interested

People who use funded medicines
Healthcare professionals
Advocacy groups
Suppliers

Tender results

Pharmac has resolved to award tenders for Principal Supply Status for some medicines included in the 2024/25 Invitation to Tender dated 31 October 2024.

For decisions that will result in brand changes, 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 4 pm on the 12^th of January 2026 or the 5^th of the month prior to listing, whichever is earlier
For price changes, by 4 pm on the 12^th 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.

Process for notification of product changes

Suppliers are required to ensure that a Pharmacode has been obtained from the Pharmacy Guild of New Zealand(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 5^th 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.

18 December 2025 Tender Notification [PDF 373 KB]

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 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
Paracetamol	Oral liq 250 mg per 5 ml; 200 ml bottle	$3.35	$3.18	Pamol (Aspen)	1 February 2026	1 July 2026

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
Icatibant¹	Inj 10 mg per ml, 3 ml prefilled syringe; 1 pre-filled syringe	$2,668.00	$479.00	Icatibant Lupin (Lupin)	1 May 2026	1 October 2026	Firazyr (Takeda)
Paracetamol	Oral liq 120 mg per 5 ml; 200 ml bottle pack	$3.98	$3.18	Noumed (Noumed)	1 June 2026	1 November 2026	Paracetamol Ethics (Multichem)
Testosterone undecanoate	Inj 250 mg per ml, 4 ml vial	$86.00	$27.50	Gonadron (Max Health)	1 July 2026	1 December 2026	Reandron 1000 (Aspen)
¹Please refer to the Icatibant section below for details on the amendments to the Special Authority and Hospital Restriction criteria.

Hospital Pharmaceutical tenders – Section H 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
Paracetamol	Oral liq 250 mg per 5 ml; 200 ml bottle	$3.35	$3.18	Pamol (Aspen)	1 February 2026	1 July 2026

4. 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
Icatibant¹	Inj 10 mg per ml, 3 ml prefilled syringe; 1 pre-filled syringe	$2,668.00	$479.00	Icatibant Lupin (Lupin)	1 May 2026	1 October 2026	Firazyr (Takeda)
Paracetamol	Oral liq 120 mg per 5 ml; 200 ml bottle pack	$3.98	$3.18	Noumed (Noumed)	1 June 2026	1 November 2026	Paracetamol Ethics (Multichem)
Testosterone undecanoate	Inj 250 mg per ml, 4 ml vial	$86.00	$27.50	Gonadron (Max Health)	1 July 2026	1 December 2026	Reandron 1000 (Aspen)
¹Please refer to the Icatibant section below for details on the amendments to the Special Authority and Hospital Restriction criteria.

For products included in the 2023/24 and 2024/25 Invitation to Tender where no announcement has yet been made, a decision is still pending subject to Pharmac Board (or its delegate) approval. We will keep you informed of any updates regarding such tender products as decisions are made.

If you have any queries regarding this notification, please contact Pharmac on 0800 66 00 50.

Eligibility Criteria for Icatibant:

Following stakeholder feedback, we have made amendments to the Special Authority Criteria and Hospital Restriction Criteria to remove the annual renewal requirement. Approvals will now be valid without further renewal unless notified for applications meeting the Special Authority and Hospital Restriction Criteria. All Special Authority approvals that expired after 1 January 2025 will also be extended. The Special Authority Criteria and Hospital Restriction Criteria for icatibant will change from 1 October 2026 as follows: (additions in bold, deletions in strikethrough):

Special Authority for Subsidy:

Initial application only from a clinical immunologist or relevant specialist. Approvals valid for 12 months without further renewal unless notified for applications meeting the following criteria:

Both:

1. Supply for anticipated emergency treatment of laryngeal/oro-pharyngeal or severe abdominal attacks of acute hereditary angioedema (HAE) for patients with confirmed diagnosis of C1-esterase inhibitor deficiency; and

2. The patient has undergone product training and has agreed upon an action plan for self-administration.

~~Renewal from any relevant practitioner. Approvals valid for 12 months where the treatment remains appropriate and the patient is benefiting from treatment.~~

Hospital Restriction Criteria:

Restricted

Initiation

Clinical immunologist or relevant specialist

~~Re-assessment required after 12 months~~

Both:

2. The patient has undergone product training and has agreed upon an action plan for self-administration.

~~Continuation~~

~~Re-assessment required after 12 months~~

~~The treatment remains appropriate and the patient is benefiting from treatment.~~

What you told us

Please see the July 2025 Tender Notification II for a summary of the key themes identified in the feedback received across both consultations.

In addition to the key themes identified, the table below outlines the additional themes identified in the feedback received for each specific medicine included in this notification.

Theme	Pharmac Comment
Icatibant
Ensure any future product has administration instructions available in English and appropriate training is available from the manufacturer to enable self-administration.	Lupin NZ’s product includes administration instructions in English. Lupin NZ can provide dummy syringes for training purposes when requested. Lupin NZ will have a dedicated 0800 number available for healthcare professionals and patients who wish to obtain resources in relation to icatibant, resources and information will also be available on Lupin’s website prior to availability of icatibant– Lupin. Details regarding the 0800 number and resources will be available in early 2026 Should you require further information at this time please contact Lupin NZ at customer.service@lupin.co.nz.
Paracetamol oral liquid
Feedback outlined key considerations if changing brands, including stock wastage and financial impacts to pharmacies, paediatric considerations, neurodiverse patients’ needs and risks to adherence.	Paracetamol oral liq 120 mg per 5 ml: Thank you for providing feedback on a potential brand change for paracetamol oral liquid. A five-month transition period will be in place from 1 June 2026 until 1 November 2026 before the delisting of Paracetamol (Ethics) occurs, allowing sufficient time to adjust stock levels and dispensing practices. We acknowledge and appreciate the concerns raised regarding the potential impact of brand changes on adherence and suitability, particularly for paediatric and neurodiverse patients. As part of our tender process, all medicines must be Medsafe approved. The new brand, Noumed, is Medsafe approved and meets standards for safety, quality, and efficacy. The Alternative Brand Allowance allows patients to apply for funded access to a different brand if their prescriber considers the funded brand to be clinically unsuitable for their needs.
	Paracetamol oral liq 250 mg per 5 ml: Thank you for providing feedback on a potential brand change for paracetamol oral liquid. We are proposing to fund the incumbent brand of paracetamol oral liq 250 mg per 5 ml; however, this feedback will be useful when considering future brand changes.
Testosterone undecanoate
We did not receive any feedback specific to testosterone undecanoate that raised new themes beyond those already outlined in the July 2025 Tender Notification.	Key themes from both rounds of consultation, including general, and specific, brand change considerations, have been taken into account for this brand change. We have also engaged further with stakeholder groups, and their feedback has played an important role in shaping this brand change decision and guiding the subsequent implementation activities.

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.