March 2025

A Herculean cross-sector collaborative effort saw the opening of Waikato University’s postgraduate pharmacy programme on 26 February. Jody Hopkinson reports

Unannounced audits are (mostly) gone and will not be coming back, reports Jonathan Chilton-Towle

SECOND-YEAR PHARMACY students attended the University of Otago School of Pharmacy’s annual White Coat Ceremony at the end of February, where they recited the Pharmacy Code of Ethics, and ceremoniously put on a white pharmacy laboratory coat to mark the start of their professional journey.

A Christchurch media outlet has published an article containing comments from unnamed pharmacists who have issues will the Pharmacy Council’s competency standard but not all pharmacists agree, reports Jonathan Chilton-Towle

PHARMACY SECTOR GROUPS are calling for the Government to continue funding Comprehensive Primary and Community Care Teams.

New Zealand Primary Healthcare Awards | He Tohu Mauri Ora entries are open, reports Jonathan Chilton-Towle

Two Kiwi pharmacists are fronting an ad campaign encouraging foreign pharmacists to work in Nova Scotia. Jody Hopkinson spoke to one of them, Sabrena Fu, about practising pharmacy in Canada

The Government is still considering whether it will extend prescription supply periods, Jonathan Chilton-Towle reports

HEALTH NEW ZEALAND Te Whatu Ora has changed its tune on a proposal that would remove harm reduction from the remit of pharmacies offering needle exchange services.

Whether it’s frantically calling around for a locum while your wife is giving birth, delivering meds at midnight with your children asleep in the back of the car, or bringing your nanny to work so you can keep your business afloat while breastfeeding – how are parents who are active pharmacists, doing? And what could the sector do better to support them? Jody Hopkinson reports