AIM: To compare access to new prescription-only medicines in New Zealand (NZ) with that in Australia. METHOD: The range of new prescription medicines and the timing of their regulatory approval and reimbursement in NZ and Australia in the period 2000 to 2009 were compared. RESULTS: 136 new prescription medicines were first listed in the Australian Schedule of Pharmaceutical Benefits in the study period and 59 (43%) of these were listed in the NZ Pharmaceutical Schedule. Listing of these 59 medicines for reimbursement occurred later in NZ (mean difference=32.7 months; 95% CI 24.2 to 41.2 months; p<0.0001) due largely to a longer time from registration to listing (mean difference=23.7 months; 95% CI 14.9 to 32.4 months; p<0.0001). The remaining 77 medicines that are reimbursed in Australia but not in NZ cover a wide range of therapeutic areas, including some diseases for which there are no reimbursed medicines in NZ. Four new medicines were listed in NZ but not Australia. CONCLUSION: In the last decade, public access to new medicines in NZ has been more limited and delayed compared to Australia.
AIM: To compare access to new prescription-only medicines in New Zealand (NZ) with that in Australia. METHOD: The range of new prescription medicines and the timing of their regulatory approval and reimbursement in NZ and Australia in the period 2000 to 2009 were compared. RESULTS: 136 new prescription medicines were first listed in the Australian Schedule of Pharmaceutical Benefits in the study period and 59 (43%) of these were listed in the NZ Pharmaceutical Schedule. Listing of these 59 medicines for reimbursement occurred later in NZ (mean difference=32.7 months; 95% CI 24.2 to 41.2 months; p<0.0001) due largely to a longer time from registration to listing (mean difference=23.7 months; 95% CI 14.9 to 32.4 months; p<0.0001). The remaining 77 medicines that are reimbursed in Australia but not in NZ cover a wide range of therapeutic areas, including some diseases for which there are no reimbursed medicines in NZ. Four new medicines were listed in NZ but not Australia. CONCLUSION: In the last decade, public access to new medicines in NZ has been more limited and delayed compared to Australia.