Medicines and Therapies

A petition to reduce medicines wastage is one step closer to being heard by the health select committee with a move to present it to Parliament last month.

Jonathan Chilton-Towle reports on an HDC case where a woman prescribed sodium valproate later became pregnant

Pharmacists can now supply COVID-19 antivirals without a prescription but it appears not many have actually done so due to strict access criteria. 

A government announcement that pharmacists could dispense two COVID-19 antivirals without prescription from 28 July created a stir recently, reports Jonathan Chilton-Towle

Sales of natural health products, cough and cold remedies and analgesics in pharmacy are tracking strongly upwards as New Zealanders deal with a tough winter of COVID-19, influenza and colds

Te Pātaka Whaioranga - Pharmac’s work behind the scenes and unique arrangements with suppliers means Aotearoa has been less affected by ongoing supply disruptions than other countries

Pharmaceutical Society president Rhiannon Braund says “hand on heart” at least some pharmacies will be supplying the COVID-19 antivirals Paxlovid and Lagevrio without a prescription by 28 July

The Pharmaceutical Society has clarified its call for pharmacists to be authorised to order lab tests

Antibiotics were offloaded from a flight departing Auckland for Samoa because there wasn't enough room in the hold - a move that has drawn criticism from a pharmacist

As COVID-19 cases rapidly rise, the Government has announced pharmacy will play a part in getting antivirals to as many eligible people as possible