September 2026 Tender Notification

What we’re doing

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

• details about decisions made for medicines included in the 2025/26 ITT, following the consultations for medicines where Pharmac was considering a possible brand change; and
• a summary of the feedback we received during the consultation.

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

Tender Results - September 2026 Tender Notification [PDF, 477 KB]

The table below provides a summary of the outcomes for the remaining unresolved medicines from the 2024/25 ITT that were included in the May 2025 and July 2025 brand change consultations.

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 or making existing treatments available to even more people.

Pharmac consulted on potential brand changes for some medicines included in the 2024/25 ITT in May 2025 and July 2025, and for some medicines included in the 2025/26 ITT in April 2026. Feedback received during these consultations has helped shape our decisions.

How your feedback helped

The feedback received is considered as part of the decision-making process and has helped shape our implementation activities to support people through 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

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 – 2025/26 Invitation to Tender

Pharmac has resolved to award or not award tenders for Principal Supply Status for some products included 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 12^th of October 2026 or the 5^th of the month prior to listing, whichever is earlier
• For price changes, by 4pm 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 – https://pharmac.govt.nz/medicine-funding-and-supply/make-an-application/pharmconnect-make-a-medicine-funding-application/process-for-notification-of-product-changes/(external link)

Suppliers are required to ensure that a Pharmacode has been obtained from the Pharmacy Guild of New Zealand (https://www.pgnz.org.nz/our-trading-arm-psl(external link)) and that a CTPP code has been obtained from the New Zealand Universal List of Medicines (http://www.nzulm.org.nz/sponsors(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.

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

Community Pharmaceutical tenders – Section B of the Pharmaceutical Schedule

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

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

 Hospital Pharmaceutical tenders – Section H of the Pharmaceutical Schedule.

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

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

5. Tenders awarded to currently listed pharmaceuticals where no brand is listed.

6. Tenders awarded to pharmaceuticals not currently listed on the Pharmaceutical Schedule (new investments).

 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 product listed in the 2025/26 Invitation to Tender, dated 3 November 2025.

What you told us

We consulted on potential brand changes for some medicines included in the 2025/26 ITT in April 2026(external link). Feedback from this consultation reflected a range of views, with some recurring themes from last year’s consultations (May and July 2025(external link)). All feedback received has been carefully considered to inform our decisions.

Earlier this year, we also we also engaged with a range of consumer advocacy representatives to understand what a brand change could mean for people and what support may be needed.

We are continuing to consider feedback relating to medicines included in the May 2025, July 2025 and April 2026 potential brand change consultations that are not included in this notification.

The table below outlines the themes identified in the feedback received for the specific medicines included in this notification.