Have Your Say On The Medicines Amendment Bill

The Health Committee is calling for submissions on the Medicines Amendment Bill.

The deadline for written submissions is 1.00pm on 19 May 2025.

This bill proposes to improve access to medication. It does so by amending the Medicines Act 1981 in the following ways:

Introduction of a verification pathway: The bill would introduce a verification pathway under which medicines could be approved for distribution in New Zealand if they have been approved by two recognised overseas jurisdictions. This would mean that approval for medicines can be expedited, and medicines can be available for New Zealanders more quickly.

Prescription and administration of medicines: The bill would enable more flexible approaches to the prescription and administration of medicines so that patients can get access to the medicines they need more efficiently. Currently, only medical practitioners can prescribe substitute medications when the usual medicine is unavailable. The bill would allow pharmacists, prescribers, registered midwives, dentists, nurse practitioners, dieticians, and optometrists to prescribe these medicines within their scope of practice.

Medicines Classification Committee: The Bill seeks to modernise the membership requirements for the Committee, which plays a role in providing access to medicines. This would help ensure those requirements can be responsive to change and is similar to how other committees operate under the Act.

Tell the Health Committee what you think

Make a submission on the bill by 1.00pm on 19 May 2025.

For more details about the bill:

• Read the full content of the bill
• Read what's been said in Parliament about this bill
• Read the Regulatory Impact Statement for this bill
• Read the Department Disclosure Statement on this bill

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