Noticeboard

Kia ora koutou,

As you will be aware Pharmac have put out a Consultation Document about ‘Widening Access' to medications for type 2 diabetes with a closing date of Thursday 11th June 5pm. This is an important document to read and provide feedback on as there are significant implications for people with type 2 diabetes and the health workforce. We do encourage you to respond to the document and in the interests of transparency, NZSSD will be responding with the following feedback (please note these points have been condensed for the purposes of this email):

1)      Strongly do not support the removal of ethnicity based criteria. There is robust evidence that the ethnicity criteria improved equitable access and outcomes for Māori and Pacific whaiora living with type 2 diabetes; thus removal is a step backwards.  The Pharmac proposal to remove the ethnicity based criteria does not align with the National Diabetes Roadmap 2026 of "supporting the use of medicines with an equity focus by improving access and appropriate use". Evidence has not been provided for the gains of removing this criteria.  Retaining ethnicity-based criteria is a vital tool for safeguarding healthcare equity, actively preventing unconscious biases and systemic barriers that historically widened health gaps.

2)      Support reducing 5-year cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk to >10%. However, this should not be viewed as being able as a replacement of ethnicity based criteria. There is an underlying assumption that all people with type 2 diabetes have access to a CVD risk assessment; resource will needed to ensure this is available and occurs.

3)      The two-week time frame for submissions is unrealistic to allow for adequate engagement and detailed feedback.

4)      For true "widening" of access, all special authority criteria for Empagliflozin should be removed. This would align with international guidance.

5)      Consideration of dual funding of GLP1RA and SGLT2i medications  should be available for tamariki and rangatahi and people who have a high risk of heart or kidney disease over their lifetime.  Outcomes are improved for high-risk individuals on both medications and this is recommended internationally.

The link for the document is here: https://www.pharmac.govt.nz/news-and-resources/consultations-and-decisions/2026-05-proposal-to-amend-the-special-authority-access-criteria-for-type-2-diabetes-medicines

The link for the feedback form is here: https://consultations.pharmac.govt.nz/medicines/2026-05-diabetes/

Alternatively, you can email feedback directly to Pharmac: consult@pharmac.govt.nz

This is a link to a submission builder that you may wish to use: https://pharmacfeedbackhcp.netlify.app/

Ngā mihi,

Jo

Dr Jo McClintock  (she/her)

Consultant Clinical Psychologist  |  Kaimātai Hauora Hinengaro