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Media Releases
For more information on Media Releases contact our Communications Manager, 
Simon England, or call (021) 863342.
Search for previous media releases
- Investment in medicines highest in PHARMAC history (2 pages, 76 KB) 15 Dec 2011
- PHARMAC releases papers on decision to fund dabigatran (2 pages, 26 KB) 31 Oct 2011
- PHARMAC Regional Forum in Porirua (1 page, 66 KB) 13 Oct 2011
- PHARMAC Regional Forum in Taupo (1 page, 66 KB) 06 Oct 2011
- PHARMAC Board strengthens relationship with DHBs (1 page, 61 KB) 30 Sep 2011
- PHARMAC and CAC Regional Forum in Otahuhu, Auckland (1 page, 66 KB) 09 Sep 2011
- Access widened for two cancer treatments (2 pages, 75 KB) 07 Sep 2011
- Hiwinui Heke Maori pharmacy students scholarship award winners (1 page, 72 KB) 07 Sep 2011
- Exceptional Circumstances now 'more permissive' (2 pages, 72 KB) 27 Jun 2011
- Two new osteoporosis treatments funded (1 page, 61 KB) 23 Jun 2011
- One Heart Many Lives highlighted at Australian indigenous health conference (2 pages, 152 KB) 17 Jun 2011
- PHARMAC welcomes PTAC re-appointment (1 page, 58 KB) 17 Jun 2011
- Exciting step forward in anti-coagulant treatment (2 pages, 66 KB) 14 Jun 2011
- Bortezomib and thalidomide funded for multiple myeloma (1 page, 69 KB) 02 May 2011
- Lacosamide funded for epilepsy (1 page, 60 KB) 29 Apr 2011
- Modafanil funded for narcolepsy (1 page, 62 KB) 26 Apr 2011
- Special Foods access widened, paperwork reduced (4 pages, 81 KB) 21 Apr 2011
- PHARMAC consulting on Exceptional Circumstances scheme (1 page, 63 KB) 10 Jan 2011
- PHARMAC's 2010 Annual Review released (2 pages, 75 KB) 15 Dec 2010
- New pharmaceuticals funded and access widened to MS treatments (2 pages, 64 KB) 29 Nov 2010
Page updated on 01 Feb 2012
Linked documents
Investment in medicines highest in PHARMAC history (2 pages, 76 KB)
15 December 2011 Media release Investment in medicines highest in PHARMAC history A surge in the medicines budget over the past three years, combined with PHARMAC’s savings programmes, has seen PHARMAC investing heavily in new medicines. In its Annual Review,…
PHARMAC releases papers on decision to fund dabigatran (2 pages, 26 KB)
31 October 2011 Media release Papers reveal PHARMAC’s cautious approach with new anticoagulant drug Papers released by PHARMAC today outline the careful consideration given before funding was approved for the new-generation anticoagulant drug dabigatran (Pradaxa). Dabigatran, which belongs to a…
PHARMAC Regional Forum in Porirua (1 page, 66 KB)
13 October 2011 PHARMAC’s first regional consumer forum in Porirua PHARMAC and two members from its Consumer Advisory Committee, Shane Bradbrook and Anne Fitisemanu, will be hosting a lunchtime forum in Porirua on 25 October 2011. This is a community…
PHARMAC Regional Forum in Taupo (1 page, 66 KB)
7 October 2011 PHARMAC’s first regional consumer forum in Taupo PHARMAC and Maurice Gianotti, local member of its Consumer Advisory Committee, are hosting a lunchtime forum in Taupo on 11 October 2011. This is a community opportunity to meet and…
PHARMAC Board strengthens relationship with DHBs (1 page, 61 KB)
30 September 2011 PHARMAC Board strengthens relationship with DHBs Getting closer to district health boards, on whose behalf PHARMAC aims to spend $777 million this year, took on a new meaning today. For the first time the PHARMAC Board’s monthly…
PHARMAC and CAC Regional Forum in Otahuhu, Auckland (1 page, 66 KB)
8 September 2011 PHARMAC’s first regional consumer forum in Otahuhu PHARMAC and two members from its Consumer Advisory Committee, Anne Fitisemanu and Moana Papa, are hosting a lunchtime forum in Otahuhu on 14 September 2011. This is a community opportunity…
Access widened for two cancer treatments (2 pages, 75 KB)
Media release PHARMAC widens access to two cancer drugs Cancer treatment has taken another step forward with PHARMAC recently approving wider funding for two cancer treatments. The funding decisions are to widen access to rituximab (for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia),…
Hiwinui Heke Maori pharmacy students scholarship award winners (1 page, 72 KB)
Media release 2011 Hiwinui Heke Scholarships Awarded Four high performing Maori pharmacy students will be awarded the prestigious Hiwinui Heke Māori Pharmacy Student Scholarship 2011 on Saturday 6 August at Te Unga Waka Marae in Epsom. The four awards will…
Exceptional Circumstances now 'more permissive' (2 pages, 72 KB)
27 June 2011 Media release ‘More permissive’ system follows Exceptional Circumstances review PHARMAC is moving to a more permissive and streamlined system for assessing people seeking medicines that aren’t funded on the Pharmaceutical Schedule. The PHARMAC Board has approved changes…
Two new osteoporosis treatments funded (1 page, 61 KB)
23 June 2011 Media release Two new treatments for bone-thinning disease PHARMAC is funding two new treatments for the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis from 1 July. Raloxifene (Evista) and teriparatide (Forteo) will be fully funded following an agreement PHARMAC has reached…
One Heart Many Lives highlighted at Australian indigenous health conference (2 pages, 152 KB)
MEDIA RELEASE Friday 17 June 2011 NZ PROGRAM’S SUCCESS IN TACKLING INDIGENOUS CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE SETS THE BAR FOR IMPROVING AUSTRALIAN INDIGENOUS HEALTH OUTCOMES A New Zealand preventative health campaign which has significantly improved take-up of cholesterol lowering medication among Maori…
PHARMAC welcomes PTAC re-appointment (1 page, 58 KB)
17 June 2011 Media release PHARMAC welcomes PTAC reappointment PHARMAC is welcoming the reappointment of Waikato Hospital physician Dr Graham Mills to the Pharmacology and Therapeutics Advisory Committee (PTAC). PTAC is a committee of 12 hospital and community health professionals…
Exciting step forward in anti-coagulant treatment (2 pages, 66 KB)
Media release `Game-changing’ anti-clotting treatment funded PHARMAC is funding an innovative form of anti-blood clotting treatment that will significantly change the way anticoagulation is managed in New Zealand. Dabigatran (Pradaxa) is a direct thrombin inhibitor, a new type of oral…
Bortezomib and thalidomide funded for multiple myeloma (1 page, 69 KB)
Media release PHARMAC to fund new multiple myeloma treatments PHARMAC is enabling New Zealanders with multiple myeloma (MM) to benefit from early use of a new treatment, bortezomib (Velcade) as well as providing wider access to thalidomide, another treatment used…
Lacosamide funded for epilepsy (1 page, 60 KB)
28 April 2011 Media release New funded treatment for epilepsy People with epilepsy will have a new funded treatment from 1 May, when PHARMAC begins funding for lacosamide (Vimpat). Lacosamide will be funded for people whose epilepsy symptoms haven’t been…
Modafanil funded for narcolepsy (1 page, 62 KB)
26 April 2011 Media release PHARMAC to fund sleep disorder treatment PHARMAC will fund a new treatment for the sleep disorder narcolepsy from 1 May 2011. Narcolepsy is a condition that causes people to be excessively drowsy during the day,…
Special Foods access widened, paperwork reduced (4 pages, 81 KB)
28 February 2011 Media release PHARMAC reduces paperwork, expands access to Special Foods Changes in access rules for funded special foods will see more prescribers able to supply funded special foods to patients. To date the funding rules for Special…
PHARMAC consulting on Exceptional Circumstances scheme (1 page, 63 KB)
10 January 2011 Media release PHARMAC’s Consultation on Exceptional Circumstances PHARMAC is seeking feedback on proposed changes to its Exceptional Circumstances policy. Currently the three exceptional circumstances schemes provide pharmaceutical funding consideration for patients in rare or unusual medical situations,…
PHARMAC's 2010 Annual Review released (2 pages, 75 KB)
15 December 2010 Media release Adaptable approach key to success in hospitals, says PHARMAC CE Learning from past experience will serve PHARMAC well as it takes a greater role in purchasing hospital medicines, says Chief Executive Matthew Brougham. The Government…
New pharmaceuticals funded and access widened to MS treatments (2 pages, 64 KB)
29 November 2010 Media release Wider access to MS treatments; new drugs in Bayer agreement Government drug funder PHARMAC will provide wider access to treatments for multiple sclerosis (MS), and fund new blood-thinning and antibiotic treatments following an agreement with…
