Source: Radio New Zealand
Pharmacists have written to Health New Zealand about medicine supply concerns. RNZ /Dom Thomas
Pharmacists are calling on Pharmac to be more transparent about medicine shortages caused by the Iran war.
The agency had listed isosorbide mononitrate, an angina medication, as the first drug to have shipping delays because of the conflict.
Clive Cannons from the Independent Community Pharmacy Group said it was a common medication that a lot of people depended on and the shortage was very serious.
“Isosorbide is mainly used for angina. It opens up the arteries so that more blood flows through and more oxygen gets to the heart muscle. So, if you have angina, that’s an essential medicine for stopping the angina attacks,” he said.
Cannons said pharmacists had written to Health New Zealand about medicine supply concerns when the Strait of Hormuz closed, but had received no response.
“There hasn’t been any communication, that I’ve seen, coming directly to pharmacy. What I would’ve hoped to have seen from Pharmac is a plan with different scenarios, like the fuel plan the government’s got, so we can assure our patients when they come in, because they are beginning to ask about it. That would be very helpful to us to allay some of the concern that’s out there in the community right now.”
Pharmac’s acting director pharmaceuticals Claire Pouwels said the Ministry of Health was leading the health sector’s response to the Middle East conflict as part of the all‑of‑government approach.
“Pharmac is working closely with the ministry, Health NZ, and suppliers, wholesalers and distributors to identify any emerging risks early and ensure consistency of supply of medicines to New Zealand,” she said.
The agency regularly worked with suppliers to manage supply issues, managing around 100 supply issues related to medical devices and medicines each month, Pouwels said.
“If we become aware of a supply issue, we create a management plan. We assess the risk of each supply issue on a case‑by‑case basis. This looks at how long the supply issue could last, if another funded medicine can be used, how much stock of the alternative medicine there is, if we need to get the medicine from a different supplier and how clinicians use the medicine in practice.”
Pouwels said the most up-to-date information about Pharmac’s response to the Middle East conflict could be found on its website.
“When we think there may be an impact on patients, we communicate this through our website. Our medicine supply notices page is up to date with information about supply issues that may affect people. There is a filter for those issues that are affected by the conflict,” she said.
”We also notify those relevant clinicians, suppliers and prescribers, and when relevant, advocacy groups in the health sector. Pharmac is receptive to feedback on the information provided in the medicine supply notices we communicate.”
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
