Pharmac funds a new medicine for people in hospital with serious infections and improves access to medicines for bacterial infections and high blood pressure

Pharmac has decided to fund a new medicine and widen access to three medicines to improve treatment options for people with difficult-to-treat, multidrug-resistant bacterial infections, and for people with spinal cord injuries who experience autonomic dysreflexia, a condition that may cause episodes of sudden high blood pressure. 

From 1 November 2026, ceftolozane with tazobactam will be funded in hospital for people with serious multidrug-resistant bacterial infections. Funded access to bedaquiline and linezolid will also be widened for people with non-tuberculous mycobacterial infections, which are rare and difficult-to-treat bacterial infections. In addition, access to captopril oral liquid will be widened for people with spinal cord injuries who experience autonomic dysreflexia, a condition that can cause sudden high blood pressure.

Pharmac's Chief Advisor, Pharmaceuticals, Adrienne Martin, says the changes will make these medicines easier to access by reducing barriers for patients and clinicians.

"These decisions will improve access to medicines for people with serious infections and for people with spinal cord injuries who experience sudden episodes of high blood pressure while making it easier for clinicians to access funded treatments on behalf of their patients," says Martin.

"Some of these treatments are already funded for a small number of people through our Named Patient Pharmaceutical Assessment, or NPPA, process. By listing them on the Pharmaceutical Schedule, we'll make it easier for eligible people to access treatment and provide greater certainty about what is funded."

The changes mean clinicians will no longer need to submit NPPA applications to treat some patients with these medicines.

"Reducing the need for exceptional funding applications lowers the administrative burden on clinicians and allows them to spend more time focusing on patient care."

"Some people with spinal cord injuries can experience a serious complication called autonomic dysreflexia which can cause sudden and severe increases in blood pressure that require immediate management.  Access to captopril oral liquid can help people with this condition manage these episodes at home and reduce the need for urgent hospital treatment," says Martin.

Feedback on the proposal was broadly supportive. 

"We appreciate everyone who took the time to share their views. The feedback we received helped us ensure the proposal would work well for the people who need these medicines and informed our final decision."

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