PRIME services, lead maternity carers, and palliative care can access more medicines

The following treatments have been added to the PSO list from 1 March 2026.

• Droperidol inj 2.5 mg per ml (1 ml ampoule)
• Glucose inj 5% (100 ml bag)
• Glucose inj 10% (500 ml bag)
• Ketamine inj 100 mg per ml (2 ml vial)
• Methoxyflurane solution for inhalation 99.9% (3 ml bottle and plastic inhaler, and 3 ml bottles)
• Tranexamic acid inj 100 mg per ml (10 ml ampoule)
• Enoxaparin inj 100 ml per ml (1 ml syringe)

Searchable PSO List(external link)

You can now order up to five 10 ml ampoules of tranexamic acid (100 mg/ml) on PSO. So that you can have it on hand in case of post-partum haemorrhage.

Searchable PSO List(external link)

Health NZ has guidance for using tranexamic acid: 

Postpartum Haemorrhage (PPH): Prevention and Management [PDF] | Health NZ website(external link)

Prescribers no longer need to apply for a NPPA to access ketamine for intractable pain in palliative care. Prescribers can have ketamine on hand by ordering it on PSO, BSO, or providing an individual prescription.

Searchable PSO List(external link)

About a bulk supply order (BSO)

Ketamine is a controlled drug

The Misuse of Drugs Act 1975(external link) and Misuse of Drugs Regulations 1977(external link) dictate the requirements for prescribing, dispensing, storing, and using ketamine.

Storing controlled drugs | Royal NZ College of General Practitioners(external link)

Unapproved indication | legal requirements

Intractable pain in palliative care is not an approved indication for ketamine. Because of this, you must meet requirements of section 25 of the Medicines Act when prescribing and administering it. 

Section 25 guidance | Medsafe website(external link)

Guidelines for use

The Australia New Zealand Society of Palliative Medicine (ANZSPM) and Hospice NZ have clinical guidance on using ketamine for intractable pain for people receiving palliative care

Aotearoa Specialist Adult Palliative Care guidelines | Hospice NZ website(external link) (monograph page 157, protocol page 194).

Palliative Care Handbook | Hospice NZ website(external link) (page 133).

We are commissioning further education from BPAC^NZ  

PRIME medicines will be added to the PSO list from 1 March 2026. There will be subsidy by endorsement for :

• tranexamic acid for PRIME services and post-partum haemorrhage
• ketamine for PRIME services and intractable pain in palliative care
• the other listed PRIME medicines for PRIME services only.

Searchable PSO List(external link)

PRIME medicines added to the list

• Droperidol inj 2.5 mg per ml (1 ml ampoule)
• Glucose inj 5% (100 ml bag)
• Glucose inj 10% (500 ml bag)
• Ketamine inj 100 mg per ml (2 ml vial)
• Methoxyflurane solution for inhalation 99.9% (3 ml bottle and plastic inhaler, and 3 ml bottles)
• Tranexamic acid inj 100 mg per ml (10 ml ampoule)
• Enoxaparin inj 100 ml per ml (1 ml syringe)

Ketamine is a controlled drug

The Misuse of Drugs Act 1975(external link) and Misuse of Drugs Regulations 1977(external link) dictate the requirements for prescribing, dispensing, storing, and using ketamine.

Ketamine is classified as a Class C4 controlled drug and therefore must be stored in a controlled-drug safe. 

Enoxaparin 

The enoxaparin special authority can be waived by endorsement when supplied as a PRIME medicine.