Dunne Peter: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Dunne Peter: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:625;Page:20145] 
1. Hon PETER DUNNE (Leader—United Future) 
 to the  
Minister of Health 
: Does she believe that Pharmac’s operating policies and procedures deliver consistently satisfactory outcomes sufficient to ensure the health and well-being of New Zealanders; if so why? 
Hon ANNETTE KING (Minister of Health) 
: 
 In the main yes. Pharmac has ensured that New Zealand continues to have access to a wide range of high-quality pharmaceuticals at an affordable cost to taxpayers through a national schedule of subsidised medicines. However the operating policies and procedures can always be improved and reviewed on a regular basis as is currently the case. 
Hon Peter Dunne 
: Given that the Minister told Susan Wood on the  
Close Up 
 programme and told the House this afternoon that the operating procedures and policies of Pharmac were under review and that things like sole supply could be looked at as part of that review how does she reconcile that statement with comments made by the chief executive of Pharmac that “Pharmac does not propose to make many changes to the operating policies and procedures”; and which one of them is telling the truth? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: A full review of the operating procedures and policies is under way. I say to that member that the opportunity for members to have an input and for the public and the pharmaceutical industry to have an input is there. No decision has been made on what changes there will be. I believe that the chief executive will be stating that he cannot see many changes that need to be made but that does not mean there will not be. 
Mark Peck 
: When was the last review of Pharmac’s operating policies and procedures and what input did the pharmaceutical industry have into that review? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: The last full review was in 1999-2000 and at that stage the industry patients and medical groups were consulted. It is 5 years since that review. This latest review will be open to the same range of groups including the industry to have an input into operating policies and procedures. 
Hon Peter Dunne 
: When the Minister says that New Zealanders by and large can be satisfied with the way in which Pharmac performs does she include in that consideration the response to this year’s flu vaccine issue particularly now that it appears the whole episode was unnecessary given that the original vaccine apparently was effective anyway? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: I assume the member is talking about the fact that we had a sole supply contract for the flu vaccine. That has been the case for the 7 years we have had a subsidised flu vaccine approach in New Zealand. That certainly will be looked at by the ministry which gave the contract for this last year to Pharmac and we will see the results of that in the near future. In terms of the flu vaccine it was not possible for Medsafe to register a medicine that had not reached the standard that had been sought and set by the World Heath Organization. 
Sue Kedgley 
: Can the Minister confirm that drug companies often play hardball in negotiations with Pharmac and that switching suppliers is sometimes the only way to get a drug company to negotiate a realistic price for its product and therefore ensure affordable treatment for New Zealanders? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: I totally agree with the member. 
Hon Peter Dunne 
: Has the Minister seen the material provided to Asthma New Zealand - The Lung Association in response to its questionnaire of patients concerning the switch from Ventolin to Salamol reliever for asthma sufferers and in view of the strong rejection of Pharmac’s move to switch from Ventolin to Salamol is she prepared to direct Pharmac to reconsider its decision in this regard? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: Pharmac and Medsafe are investigating complaints about Salamol. In the meantime Ventolin and Salamol will continue to be fully funded for patients until those investigations conclude. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: Why is Risperdal Consta an antipsychotic injectable used by professionals on a fortnightly basis and paid for by taxpayers in the OECD and Australia not available in New Zealand where the comparison is the hand out of tablets which are frequently not used by those patients leading to wide-scale problems in our society; and why does she not make that drug available in New Zealand? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: I do not have that answer with me; I will find out for the member. I am aware that a number of antipsychotic medications that are injected are available in New Zealand. I do not know about that particular one but I will get the answer for the member.