Proposal to list medical devices with Obex Medical Limited

Hospital devices Consultation Closed

What we’re proposing

Pharmac is seeking feedback on a proposal to list medical devices supplied by Obex Medical Limited (“Obex”) from 1 December 2025 in the following categories:

  • adhesives, sealants, and haemostats
  • feeding equipment and associated devices
  • medical and surgical instruments and power tools
  • medical imaging, software, and associated products
  • patient assessment, monitoring, and treatment
  • patient warming and cooling
  • sterilisation and decontamination equipment and associated consumables
  • surgical implants

Consultation closes at 4pm Thursday 30 October 2025 and feedback can be emailed to fraser.littlejohn@pharmac.govt.nz 

What would the effect be?

From 1 December 2025 a range of medical devices in the categories listed above supplied by Obex would be listed under a national agreement for all Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora (“Health NZ”) hospitals to purchase under, subject to consultation and approval by Pharmac’s Board or delegate (“Agreement”).

The Agreement would not be for sole supply and Health NZ hospitals could continue to purchase other suppliers’ brands of medical devices for categories included in this proposal.

The Agreement would supersede any existing Health NZ contracts with Obex for medical devices included in the Agreement. Any medical devices listed in the Agreement and purchased by Health NZ hospitals would be in accordance with the terms and conditions, including price, stated in the Agreement effective from the date of listing on the Pharmaceutical Schedule.

Pricing for the medical devices in the Agreement, subject to any prior termination of the Agreement, would not be increased without prior consultation and approval by Pharmac.

Who we think will be interested

  • Health NZ staff including but not limited to:
    • Clinical Engineers
    • Clinical Product Coordinators
    • Clinicians
    • Dental Units
    • Emergency Service Personnel
    • Equipment Validation Service Providers
    • Facilities and Support Services Department
    • Infection Prevention and Control
    • Nurses (Both Inpatient and Community Based)
    • Occupational Health and Safety Department
    • Procurement and Supply Chain Personnel
    • Sterile Services Department and Personnel
    • Wards and Outpatient Clinics
  • Suppliers and Wholesalers

About these medical devices

Adhesives, sealants, and haemostats

Adhesives, sealants, and haemostats are medical devices used in surgical and non-surgical procedures to achieve haemostasis, tissue sealing, fixation and/or wound closure. The products vary, relating to their purpose, function, composition, application and clinical indication. There are adhesive, sealant, and haemostat products used in general surgical applications, as well as products designed and used for specific clinical indications/specialty areas.

Feeding devices

Feeding Devices are medical devices used to deliver nutrition and hydration into the body through the gastrointestinal tract. Providing nutrition to patients who cannot consume adequate food and/or fluids orally is important to optimise healing, reduce recovery times, and lower complication rates. Feeding Devices are used by patients with a wide variety of clinical conditions and across both acute and community-based settings.

Medical and surgical instruments and power tools

Medical and surgical instruments and power tool products are used in a vast range of medical and surgical specialities and procedures. Some are more generally used within clinical practice and others have highly specific applications. Some require power sources or other equipment to perform their function.

Medical imaging

Medical imaging is the technique and process of imaging the interior of a body for clinical analysis and medical intervention, as well as visual representation of the function of some organs or tissues.

Patient assessment, monitoring, and treatment

Patient assessment, monitoring and treatment devices include equipment and consumable medical devices that are used in a variety of clinical settings to assess, monitor and treat patients. Clinical areas of use include Audiology, Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT), Dermatology, Gastroenterology, Neurosciences and Psychology, Ophthalmology, Somnology, Urology, Vascular Medicine, Wards and Outpatient Clinics.

Patient warming and cooling

Patient warming and cooling products are used to assist regulating a patient’s core body temperature when a patient is unable to self-regulate their body temperature. Patient warming and cooling products are commonly used in surgical and intensive care clinical settings.

Sterilisation and decontamination equipment and associated consumables

Sterilisation and decontamination equipment and associated consumables are medical devices used in surgical and non-surgical procedures primarily to achieve the disinfection and sterilisation of equipment and reusable medical devices. The products vary relating to their purpose, function, application, and clinical indication.

Surgical implants

Surgical implants are devices that are placed in or on the body. These devices support a range of functions, such as replacing damaged tissue, supporting existing tissue or enhancing existing bodily functions. The surgical implants encompass product ranges of reconstructive implants, surgical stents, orthopaedic soft tissue fixation, surgical mesh, ocular implants, aural implants and implantable neurostimulators.

Why we’re proposing this

Pharmac has previously released the following Request for Proposals (RFPs) for non-exclusive national agreements for listing on the Pharmaceutical Schedule:

Pharmac has been working with suppliers who responded to each RFP, and were successful in being progressed to contract negotiation, to seek provisional agreements. This proposal is the latest to arise from these processes.

Details about our proposal

Pharmac has entered into a provisional agreement with Obex for the supply of medical devices across the categories outlined in this proposal. This agreement would result in the listing of 3,932 medical devices under the following brands:

Abbott

Cooper/lonestar

Medikal products

Surgin surgical

Airlife

Cytiva pall cardiac

Medinorm

Sychem (svt)

Ansell

Designer series

Meditalia s.a.s

Synovis baxter

Artivion bioglue

Desoutter

Mercian

Tae woong (era)

As medizintechnik

Diversatek (endo)

Nanovibronix

The insides company

Aspen

Dtr medical svt

O R company

Titan series

Automated medical products

Epic-x

Omega surgical

Tontarra svt

Axonics

Fentex medical

Optimed (surg)

Trewavis surgical svt

BD

Genesee biomedical

Osypka

Tz medical ugr

Belintra

George tiemann

Pall water

Vascutek terumo

Bentec medical opco

Grc surgical

Platts & nisbett svt

Wassenburg

Bfw

Hood laboratories

Qinflow

Zhuhai p

Bien-air

Inka surgical instruments

Richard wolf

 

Boss instruments

Laborie

S murray

Care essentials apt

Lina medical svt

Scanlan

Cocoon

Medical devices pty

Spierings

Cook

Medical instruments

Surgical holdings

Further information, including pricing and contractual details, has been provided to Health NZ procurement personnel. Clinicians interested in further detail on what this proposal means for their hospital should engage with the Health NZ procurement team.

To provide feedback

Send us an email: fraser.littlejohn@pharmac.govt.nz by 4pm Thursday 30 October 2025.

All feedback received before the closing date will be considered by Pharmac’s Board (or its delegate) prior to making a decision on this proposal.

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