New Zealand Lags Behind Australia in Access to Modern Medicines, Report Finds
A new report reveals a meaningful disparity in access to modern medicines between New Zealand adn Australia. “access to Medicines,” released by Medicines New Zealand, tracked drug funding in both countries between January 2011 and June 2025, finding Australia funds more medicines, and does so at a faster rate, than New Zealand.
During the tracked period, australia publicly funded 215 modern medicines, compared to 86 in New Zealand. The average time to funding after a medicine’s registration was 18 months in Australia, while New Zealanders waited nearly three years.
The report analyzed 142 medicines funded in australia but not New Zealand, discovering that 80 percent (115 drugs) are considered standard of care internationally. Oncology drugs comprised the largest category of unfunded medicines, representing 38 percent of the 142.
Despite a recent $604 million funding increase over four years and a commitment to fund 13 new cancer drugs following the 2023 election, the report highlights a widening gap. While New Zealand funded nine medicines in the first six months of 2025, compared to Australia’s eleven, Australia still funded medicines faster 70 percent of the time.
A key difference identified in the report is the presence of a time-bound decision window for funding new medicines in Australia, a process currently lacking in New Zealand.
Pharmac, new Zealand’s pharmaceutical management agency, acknowledged the desire for greater access to modern medicines and the difficult choices faced by families needing unfunded treatments. Caroline de Luca,acting director of pharmaceuticals,noted that applications for funding hadn’t been received for roughly half of the medicines identified in the report,and encouraged submissions from pharmaceutical suppliers,health professionals,or individuals. Pharmac stated the recent funding increase allowed them to fund 66 medicines, benefiting 250,000 New Zealanders in the first year.
Associate Health Minister David Seymour’s office indicated he would address the report’s findings on Friday.
