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The medicines are already funded, and the proposal would widen access to people who are at higher risk of heart or kidney complications. The proposed changes include removing ethnicity-based eligibility criteria and lowering the five-year cardiovascular risk threshold to widen access.

If approved, around 10,000 more people are expected to benefit in the first year, increasing to around 23,000 people after five years.

When these medicines were first funded, Special Authority criteria were used to target treatment to population groups with a high health need. In 2025, Pharmac formalised its Access Criteria Policy, which means for every medicine considered for funding the target population is now defined by clinical condition and those most likely to benefit.

Pharmac has reviewed the criteria and received updated advice on how access could be widened while still reaching the people who need these medicines the most. Anyone who is already receiving these medicines will continue to have access and would not be affected by the proposed changes.

Pharmac is seeking feedback from people with type 2 diabetes, their whānau, health professionals, and advocacy groups.

The proposal will be published on Pharmac's website at 2pm, Thursday 14 May:

Ø  Proposal to amend the special authority access criteria for type 2 diabetes medicines