Gaining global insights to improve health
Pharmac has joined new international networks to allow us to share knowledge and best practices across the world.
Part of a global network
In 2024, Pharmac joined the International Network of Agencies for Health Technology Assessment (INAHTA), a network of 55 agencies from 35 countries that brings together public agencies around the world that assess technology in health care.
Together, these agencies influence the health care of over a billion people across the world.
Assessing health technology...
Health technology assessment involves the review of medicines, vaccines, devices, and other types of health technologies, to determine their potential value. This may involve how well these technologies work, how much they cost, and what impact they are likely to have on people’s lives, and on the health system.
...Together
This builds on earlier work in 2023, where Pharmac joined a network with HTA partners from Australia, the United Kingdom, and Canada.
Gaining membership, which requires approval by the INAHTA board in Canada, shows that Pharmac is recognised as a health technology assessment agency internationally.
Evan Hinds
Senior Health Economist/Team Leader
Staying on the cutting edge
“The pharmaceutical environment is constantly changing, with the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), new types of technologies, and increasing growth in the number of new medical technologies on the horizon.
"Other agencies around the world are facing the same challenges as we are, and so it is valuable to learn from others about how they are adapting the way they do things in light of these challenges. Joining these networks also allows Pharmac to learn not only from large partner agencies, such as NICE (in the UK) and CDA-AMC (in Canada), but also from smaller agencies similar in size to Pharmac.
Part of a bigger picture
"Being a part of these networks means New Zealand can draw on the lessons learned across the world, rather than trialling each new idea ourselves. It means that Pharmac can stay current with international approaches to assessing technologies and making decisions. It also means that the public can have confidence that Pharmac is drawing on the best evidence available to provide a good assessment and decision-making framework, to achieve better health outcomes for them and their communities.”