Easier access to glaucoma drops
People with the progressive eye disease glaucoma will find it easier to obtain eye drops under changes being made by
PHARMAC.
From 1 September PHARMAC will be removing the Special Authority from glaucoma eye drops bimatoporost, latanoprost and
travoprost, and prescribing will instead be subject to a guideline.
Special Authority is a targeting mechanism to help ensure medicines are used by people who meet specific funding
criteria. Replacing the Special Authority with a prescribing guideline will reduce the workload of doctors prescribing
these eye drops, says PHARMAC’s Medical Director Dr Peter Moodie.
“We know that prescribers can find the requirement to fill out Special Authority forms to be onerous, so moves such as
this are to be welcomed,” says Dr Moodie.
“We are also looking at other ways in which we can reduce the administrative workload on clinicians, and improve New
Zealanders’ access to subsidised medicines.”
The eye drops bimatoprost, latanoprost and travoprost are used by about 10,000 New Zealanders, at a cost of over $3
million per annum. They are among the range of treatments available to treat glaucoma, the leading cause of preventable
blindness for New Zealanders.
The products will continue to be prescribed by specialists.
ENDS