Pharmac Expands Access to Type 2 Diabetes Medicines

Under the new rules, Pharmac will widen access to empagliflozin, empagliflozin with metformin, liraglutide and dulaglutide for people with type 2 diabetes.

Thousands more New Zealanders living with type 2 diabetes will soon have access to funded medicines after Pharmac announced broader eligibility rules based on clinical need rather than ethnicity or specific health conditions.

Associate Health Minister David Seymour welcomed the decision, saying improving access to medicines has been a key priority for the Government and will make a meaningful difference for patients and their families. The updated funding criteria will take effect from 1 September and are expected to benefit more than 30,000 people over the next five years.

Eligibility to Be Based on Clinical Need

Under the new rules, Pharmac will widen access to empagliflozin, empagliflozin with metformin, liraglutide and dulaglutide for people with type 2 diabetes. Eligibility will no longer depend on whether a person has cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, faces a high risk of future heart problems or meets ethnicity-based requirements. Instead, funding will be available to people whose blood sugar levels remain poorly controlled despite treatment with other funded diabetes medicines.

The change is intended to ensure patients receive treatment according to their medical needs, allowing more people at risk of serious complications to start these medicines earlier.

Medicines Can Reduce Serious Health Risks

The medicines included in the expanded programme help lower blood glucose levels while also reducing the risk of heart and kidney complications, two of the most common and serious health issues linked to type 2 diabetes.

Seymour said earlier access could help people better manage their condition, remain healthier for longer and reduce the likelihood of developing complications that require more intensive medical care.

The Government believes improving access to effective medicines can also ease pressure on hospitals and other parts of the health system by helping prevent avoidable illness.

Public Feedback Influenced the Final Decision

Pharmac said the final funding decision was shaped by extensive consultation with people living with type 2 diabetes, their families, healthcare professionals, community organisations and advocacy groups.

Many submissions supported broader access while also requesting that people who qualified under the previous eligibility rules should not lose access if they were not already using the medicines. Pharmac said those views were considered as part of the final decision-making process. The wider eligibility criteria are designed to make access simpler and ensure treatment reaches patients who are most likely to benefit.

Larger Supply Agreement Supports Wider Access

Seymour said Pharmac was able to expand access while limiting additional pressure on its budget by negotiating a new agreement with medicine suppliers. With more people becoming eligible for treatment, Pharmac secured a larger purchasing arrangement that supports broader availability while maintaining value for public spending.

The Minister said the decision reflects the Government's goal of making the health system more responsive to patients by improving access to essential medicines and helping people manage chronic conditions before they become more serious.