Drugs, Devices, and Diagnostics
Latest | Media coverage | Commentary | Academic Literature | Legislation | Reports and Government Documents
Covering prescription medicines and medical devices, which includes instruments, implants, scans and tests, as well as screening and health promoting interventions.
Latest
Media coverage
Medicines industry ‘dodges a bullet’ with tariff exemption – for now
New Zealand’s pharmaceutical sector is cautiously optimistic over the industry being granted an exemption from US President Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Faster approvals for medicines available overseas under new law
The legislation will give the health minister the power to approve, reject or transfer medication applications
Popular weight-loss drug Wegovy receives approval in New Zealand
A popular weight-loss drug used by celebrities overseas has been approved by New Zealand’s medicine regulatory body, with its producer hoping to make it accessible “as soon as possible”.
Commentary
Briefing to the Incoming Minister of Health January 2025
Following a change of Minister, the Ministry of Health | Manatū Hauora, produces a Briefing to the Incoming Minister of Health, as is usual practice.
Health Delivery Plan
This plan is the updated reset plan and summarises the work done to date and a roadmap of activities and deliverables to the end of the 2026 financial year. It includes a plan on a page.
HE PĀNUI WHAKAHAU A TE MANA WHAKAHAERE KAIWHAKAWĀ D STONE MEMORANDUM-DIRECTIONS OF PRESIDING OFFICER JUDGE D STONE
This memorandum-direction addresses material relevant to the Health Services and Outcomes Kaupapa Inquiry (Wai 2575).
Academic Literature
The development of a discrete choice experiment: Investigating pharmacy selection in New Zealand
Discrete choice experiments (DCEs) provide a method for understanding preferences for service provision and there have been limited applications to the selection of community pharmacies. The validity and accuracy of DCEs rely upon the attributes and levels used. This paper aims to describe the development of a DCE investigating New Zealanders preferences for community pharmacies.
Lived experience of affordability as a barrier to prescription medicines: A longitudinal qualitative study
Exploring lived experience provides insights into the multiple ways that lack of affordability prevents access to medicines: directly, through interaction with other barriers to access including transport, by damaging trust and reducing acceptability of services, and by making participants less able to deal with mistakes made by health professionals.
Challenges and opportunities for Aotearoa/New Zealand’s breast screening programme
Around 3500 New Zealand women will be diagnosed with breast cancer each year. Of these, 45% will be diagnosed through mammography screening, either through BreastScreen Aotearoa or through the private sector. Those diagnosed through screening have better outcomes and importantly more equitable outcomes for Māori and Pacific women.
Legislation and Parliament
Medicines Amendment Bill
The purpose of this bill is to increase patients' access to medicines by reducing some of the barriers to access currently in the Medicines Act 1981.
Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022
The purpose of this Act is to provide for the public funding and provision of services in order to—
(a) protect, promote, and improve the health of all New Zealanders; and
(b) achieve equity in health outcomes among New Zealand’s population groups, including by striving to eliminate health disparities, in particular for Māori; and
(c) build towards pae ora (healthy futures) for all New Zealanders.
Reports and Government Documents
Briefing to the Incoming Minister of Health January 2025
Following a change of Minister, the Ministry of Health | Manatū Hauora, produces a Briefing to the Incoming Minister of Health, as is usual practice.
Strategic Approach to Immunisation in New Zealand 2025–2030
Immunisation is a highly successful public health intervention. It safeguards individuals, whānau and communities against a range of potentially devastating diseases, and is a critical way of preventing and controlling infectious disease outbreaks. An accessible and effective immunisation system maximises immunisation uptake and coverage, improving the health of the population and enabling pae ora – healthy futures.
First Plunket site begins delivering childhood immunisations
From today, Plunket in Whāngarei will be offering childhood immunisations – the first of up to 27 sites nationwide, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.
Key issues
HEALTH SERVICES AND SYSTEMS
EQUITY
DRUGS, DEVICE AND DIAGNOSTICS
PUBLIC HEALTH
DIGITAL HEALTH
TE TIRITI