Pharmac is making changes to improve access to some asthma inhalers and long-acting contraceptives from 1 August 2025.
“We’re making it easier for people to get the medicines they need, when and where they need them,” says Pharmac’s Acting Director Pharmaceuticals, Adrienne Martin. “These changes will help over 140,000 New Zealanders in the first year alone.”
From 1 August 2025, people using some strengths of budesonide with eformoterol inhalers will be able to receive three-months supply all at once, reducing the need for multiple pharmacy visits.
Some budesonide with eformoterol inhalers will also be available on a Practitioners Supply Order (PSO). This means doctors and nurses will be able to keep it in their clinic for emergency use, teaching and demonstrations. They will also be able to give it to people if accessing a pharmacy isn’t practical.
“These changes mean people can keep inhalers where they need them most – at home, work, or school – and learn how to use them correctly with support from their health care provider.
“People have told us these changes will make a real difference,” says Martin. “That they support better asthma management and align with updated clinical guidelines.”
Pharmac is also changing how IUDs and contraceptive implants are supplied. From Friday 1 August 2025, Mirena and Jaydess IUDs will be available on a Practitioners Supply Order (PSO), allowing doctors and nurses to provide them directly during appointments.
Pharmac is also increasing the number of Jadelle contraceptive implants available on PSO, reducing the number of stock orders clinics need to make, helping to save time – especially those with high patient volumes.
“These changes will improve access for over 21,000 people in the first year and align IUD access with other long-acting contraceptives,” says Martin. “People have told us that it will remove barriers, reduce delays, and allow for timelier and efficient care.”
Pharmac is improving access to some asthma inhalers and long-acting contraceptives for New Zealanders. These changes are the final decisions from last year’s funding increase.
For some asthma inhalers, Pharmac is making it easier for people to get the treatment they need by allowing three-months supply of some budesonide with eformoterol inhalers to be dispensed all at once. Some strengths of budesonide with eformoterol inhalers will be added to the Practitioners Supply Order (PSO) meaning people starting treatment or needing urgent care will also be able to receive an inhaler directly from their doctor or nurse.
For long-acting contraceptives, Pharmac is changing how intra-uterine devices (IUDs) and contraceptive implants are supplied. Mirena and Jaydess IUDs will be available on a Practitioners Supply Order (PSO), meaning they can be provided directly during appointments. Pharmac is also increasing the number of Jadelle implants available on PSO. This will reduce the number of stock orders clinics need to make, saving time – especially for high-volume providers.
Asthma is a very common and sometimes severe chronic lung disease characterised by inflammation, subsequent narrowing of the airways and reversible airway obstruction. The defining features of asthma include a history of respiratory symptoms such as wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and coughing that vary over time and in intensity, and variable expiratory airflow limitation.
Budesonide with eformoterol is one of a range of inhalers currently funded for the treatment of asthma.
Budesonide is a type of inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) and eformoterol is a type of long-acting beta adrenoceptor agonist (LABA). Combining these treatments in an inhaler has become the recommended maintenance and reliever treatment for a considerable number of people with asthma, as per the NZ Adolescent and Adult asthma Guidelines [PDF](external link).
Since the publication of the guidelines, the use of budesonide with eformoterol has increased substantially, with people shifting off salbutamol (a short-acting beta2 agonist, or SABA) only or inhaled corticosteroid plus salbutamol therapies (ICS/SABA).
The currently funded brands of budesonide with eformoterol combination inhalers are Symbicort Turbuhaler, DuoResp Spiromax (dry powder inhalers) and Vannair (metered dose inhaler).
We are only making changes to the 100/6 and 200/6 budesonide/eformoterol inhalers because these strengths are used in AIR and SMART therapies.
