Pharmacy Daily | NZ system “flawed” – MA

MEDICINES Australia says a new report comparing the Australian medicines system with that of New Zealand “highlights why Australian policymakers should not seek to emulate the New Zealand model”. The Medicines New Zealand report showed that NZ spends significantly more on healthcare as a proportion of GDP, and that in Jun last year Australian patients had access to 94 more prescription drugs than their Kiwi counterparts. Medicines Australia ceo Brendan Shaw said the report shows what happens “when a healthcare system focuses on cost containment at the expense of health outcomes...Australians deserve better than that. “Historically, the Australian system has been able to provide a range of treatment options and newer medical technologies for patients than has the New Zealand system,” Shaw added. He suggested a better approach to allocating the medicines budget would result in a more efficent health system overall. CLICK HERE to see the report.

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