Decision-making on listing new medicines for public funding in New Zealand: the case of 'new' type 2 diabetes medications.

Introduction New medicines for the management of type 2 diabetes became available internationally in 2005, yet only in 2018 did the first of these become available in New Zealand. Access to these new medicines in New Zealand is largely dependent on decisions made by the Pharmaceutical Management Agency (PHARMAC). Aim This study sought to describe the decision-making processes to better understand access to new medicines in New Zealand.

New Zealand patients' understanding of brand substitution and opinions on copayment options for choice of medicine brand.

Objective The aim of the present study was to better understand the views and experiences of New Zealand patients on switching between brands of prescription medicines and on alternative funding options for the provision of medicines, including an increase in copayments. Methods A self-administered questionnaire was offered to selected patients through participating community pharmacies. Pharmacies were stratified according to level of deprivation of the community served before random selection and invitation for involvement in the study.

An Evaluation of Health Service Impacts Consequent to Switching from Brand to Generic Venlafaxine in New Zealand under Conditions of Price Neutrality.

Objective: To study the health impact on adult New Zealand patients who switch from originator brand to generic venlafaxine.

Methods: The national pharmacy database was used to select patients using venlafaxine for at least 6 months. Switchers and nonswitchers were identified, and switch behavior was compared for a 12-month follow-up period.

The impact on health outcome measures of switching to generic medicines consequent to reference pricing: the case of olanzapine in New Zealand.

Introduction: New Zealand's Pharmaceutical Management Agency (PHARMAC) manages the list of medicines available for prescribing with government subsidy, within a fixed annual medicines budget. PHARMAC achieves this through a mix of pricing strategies including reference pricing. In 2011, PHARMAC applied generic reference pricing to olanzapine tablets.

Do users of risperidone who switch brands because of generic reference pricing fare better or worse than non-switchers? A New Zealand natural experiment.

This study evaluated patient health outcomes and any impact on healthcare costs consequent to the implementation of generic reference-pricing of risperidone in New Zealand using national datasets. Reference pricing risperidone reduced the price of the originator brand by 50 % as well as overall expenditure on risperidone tablets. Half of all patients made a single switch to generic risperidone, with the remainder making multiple switches between brands.

The impact on health outcomes and healthcare utilisation of switching to generic medicines consequent to reference pricing: the case of lamotrigine in New Zealand.

Background: Many countries have implemented generic reference pricing and substitution as methods of containing pharmaceutical expenditure. However, resistance to switching between medicines is apparent, especially in the case of anti-epileptic medicines.

Objectives: This study sought to exploit a nation-wide policy intervention on generic reference pricing in New Zealand to evaluate the health outcomes of patients switching from originator to generic lamotrigine, an anti-epileptic medicine.

The availability, pricing and affordability of three essential asthma medicines in 52 low- and middle-income countries.

Background: Almost 300 million people suffer from asthma, yet many in low- and middle-income countries have difficulty accessing essential asthma medicines. Availability, price and affordability of medicines are likely to affect access. Very few studies have included asthma medicines, particularly inhaled corticosteroids, in these countries.