#hauora: Patients Waiting, System Lagging: Urgent Call for Overhaul of Medicines Access

A major new report from the Medicines Access Summit 2025 is warning that Aotearoa’s medicines system is at a critical crossroads, calling for urgent collaboration and political leadership to ensure equitable access to life-saving treatments.

The Valuing Life report, released by Patient Voice Aotearoa and Medicines New Zealand, highlights ongoing gaps in how quickly and fairly New Zealanders can access modern medicines, despite recent progress in funding and policy reform.

At the centre of the findings is a clear message – while improvements have been made, the current system is still not keeping pace with global standards or the needs of patients.

One of the most significant concerns is the delay between medicines being approved and becoming publicly funded. Evidence shows that New Zealand patients often wait years longer than those in comparable countries such as Australia and the United Kingdom to access new treatments.

These delays are not just administrative – they have real consequences for people living with serious and chronic conditions, where timely access to treatment can determine quality of life and, in some cases, survival.

The report also highlights inequities within the system, noting that Māori, Pacific peoples, and those living in rural areas are disproportionately affected by limited access to medicines.

Despite increased investment, including recent boosts to the pharmaceutical budget, demand continues to outstrip supply. New Zealand remains behind many OECD countries in overall medicines funding, raising questions about long-term sustainability and priorities within the health system.

A key theme emerging from the summit is the need for a more collaborative, system-wide approach. Stakeholders from across the health sector – including clinicians, researchers, patient advocates, government agencies, and industry – are calling for closer alignment and shared decision-making to improve outcomes.

The report outlines several areas for reform, including increasing the medicines budget, improving transparency in decision-making, and strengthening engagement with patients and communities. There is also a strong emphasis on co-design, ensuring that those most affected by the system have a direct role in shaping it.

Another critical issue is the need to modernise processes within Pharmac, the agency responsible for funding medicines. While Pharmac plays a central role in managing costs and ensuring value for money, concerns remain about the timeliness and clarity of its decision -making.

The summit itself brought together a wide range of voices, reflecting a growing consensus that the challenges facing medicines access cannot be solved by any single organisation. Instead, coordinated action across the entire system is required.

The findings also reinforce a broader shift in thinking – from viewing medicines as a cost to seeing them as an investment in health, productivity, and long-term wellbeing.

For many patients and whānau, the issue is deeply personal. Access to effective treatment can mean the difference between managing a condition and living with ongoing pain, limitation, or uncertainty.

The report is being positioned as a roadmap for change, but its success will depend on whether its recommendations are translated into action. Without sustained commitment and collaboration, the risk is that gaps in access will persist – and potentially widen.

As pressure builds on the health system, the message from the summit is clear: improving access to medicines is not just a policy challenge, but a matter of equity, fairness, and the health of communities across Aotearoa.

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