Photo: 123RF
Pharmac is making it easier for people to access asthma inhalers and IUD contraception - a move the minister says is sensible and costs no one.
From 1 August, people using some strengths of budesonide with eformoterol inhalers for asthma will be available for a three-month prescription instead of just one.
Mirena and Jaydess Intra-Uterine Devices (IUDs) - which can prevent pregnancy, including by administering hormones - will be able to be stored at doctors' surgeries.
This means patients will not need to pick them up from a pharmacy before getting them implanted.
Associate Health Minister David Seymour . Photo: RNZ / Mark Papalii
Some inhalers will also be able to be kept in doctor's and nurses clinics for emergency use, teaching, and demonstrations.
Associate Health Minister David Seymour welcomed the moves, saying it was a result of his instruction for Pharmac to start listening to what patients want.
"It's been working," he told RNZ. "They've been consulting on a whole lot of things out of my direction to start listening to patients.
"Our philosophy is if we can make life easier at no cost, why wouldn't we do it? Easier access to IUDs, better access to asthma inhalers, two obvious win-wins that we can make and really pleased to see this new culture at Pharmac."
Seymour said the changes would mean less visits to the pharmacy for resupply, better asthma management, and an extra option for supply in emergencies.
"Doctors and nurses will also be able to keep Mirena and Jaydess IUDs in their clinic and will be able to place them in the same appointment. Pharmac will fund these on a PSO to enable this," he said.
"Current settings mean women need to get a prescription from their doctor or nurse, pick their IUD up from a pharmacy, and then bring it back to the clinic to be placed. Pharmac estimates over 21,000 women to benefit from these changes in just the first year of funding.
"People told Pharmac that these changes will make a real difference. They will make it easier for people with asthma to get the inhalers they need and improve access to long-acting contraceptives like Mirena and Jaydess. They make sense for people."
Pharmac's acting director of pharmaceuticals Adrienne Martin said the changes would help over 140,000 New Zealanders in the first year alone.
"People have told us that it will remove barriers, reduce delays, and allow for timelier and efficient care."
Asthma and Foundation chief executive Letitia Harding said the decision would make a huge difference for Kiwis living with asthma.
"When someone is having an asthma attack, they need treatment immediately - there's no time to get a prescription filled," she said.
"Patients often need to keep their reliever inhaler in multiple places - at home, school, work, their car - so enhancing access to life-saving asthma medicine will undoubtedly reduce the morbidity of asthma in New Zealand."
The change would make asthma management significantly easier, particularly for families facing transport barriers or juggling multiple repeat prescriptions, she said.
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