Source: PHARMAC
Pharmac is trialling a new process to publish provisional outcomes from advisory committee meetings within 30 business days.
Pharmac works closely with our Pharmacology and Therapeutics Committee (PTAC), specialist advisory committees and other advisory groups that make up our Expert Advisory Network to get expert advice on medicines being considered for funding and medical devices we procure.
The advisory committees have expertise in areas ranging from special foods, mental health and rheumatology to immunisations and cancer treatments. They meet as required to discuss and provide recommendations on the medicines we’re looking to fund and provide ongoing advice on issues such as supply shortages, changes for medicines we already fund and how to implement consultation feedback.
“We know how important it is to patients, clinicians and suppliers to get this information as soon as possible. However, we also want to ensure the record accurately reflects the advice provided and this takes time. We’re working on ways to achieve this more quickly,” says acting Pharmaceuticals Manager Expert Advisory, Caroline De Luca.
“The information being discussed is highly technical and it’s important that we reflect that discussion accurately.”.
To improve timeliness, Pharmac is trialling a new process where the provisional recommendations of a meeting are published sooner, while the review process for the full record is underway.
“Sharing the provisional outcome of the meeting sooner does not directly impact funding timeframes,” says De Luca. “But it does mean you will know if a medicine is likely to be assessed and prioritised for funding much sooner.”
In some cases, the person or supplier that applied to have a medicine considered for funding may request that provisional recommendations are withheld until the full meeting record is available.
“Expert advice plays a key role in determining which medicines Pharmac assesses and informs how each medicine is ranked on the options for investment list,” says De Luca.
“We know patients and clinicians waiting for medicines to be funded want to know these recommendations sooner, and it helps suppliers plan too. We’ve been encouraged by the positive response to this trial so far.
This pilot is part of Pharmac’s work to increase transparency. A review will be undertaken at the end of this year, and feedback received will help inform improvements. We would love to hear from you. Please send your feedback to enquiries@pharmac.govt.nz
