Blog
RSS FeedPosted by Michael Wonder on 04 Jul 2022
Accuretic users annoyed over contaminated blood pressure medication muddle
4 July 2022 - Confusion continues as Kiwis learn months after the rest of the world that widely used blood ...
Posted by Michael Wonder on 17 Mar 2021
PHARMAC’s drug switch
17 March 2021 - PHARMAC's generic drug swap for epilepsy treatment saved $30 million over five years. But for some ...
Posted by Michael Wonder on 04 Mar 2021
PHARMAC swapping epilepsy drugs 'cannot be discounted' as a cause of deaths — neurologist
4 March 2021 - An Auckland paediatric neurologist says PHARMAC's decision to switch to a generic version of an epilepsy drug ...
Posted by Michael Wonder on 24 Feb 2021
PHARMAC knew of epilepsy drug change risks - inquest
24 February 2021 - PHARMAC knew there were clinical reasons some epilepsy patients would not tolerate a change to their ...
Posted by Michael Wonder on 24 Feb 2021
PHARMAC knew of epilepsy drug change risks within some patients, but went ahead with switch
24 February 2021 - PHARMAC knew there were clinical reasons some epilepsy patients would not tolerate a change to their medicines. ...
Posted by Michael Wonder on 22 Feb 2021
Maker of epilepsy drug warned over quality control
23 February 2021 - The drug at the centre of an inquest into six epilepsy deaths was made at a plant ...
Posted by Michael Wonder on 21 Feb 2021
Epilepsy drug deaths: Coronial inquiry into medication-linked deaths resumes
22 February 2021 - A coronial inquiry into the deaths of six patients whose epilepsy medication was changed before they ...
Posted by Michael Wonder on 30 Nov 2020
GPs tell inquest they were unaware PHARMAC changed their patients' epilepsy drugs
30 November 2020 - Two GPs caring for patients who died after switching brands of an epilepsy drug say they were ...
Posted by Michael Wonder on 29 Nov 2020
Sudden epilepsy deaths: grieving mum speaks out ahead of coronial inquest
28 November 2020 - Michelle Townes believes her 31-year-old son died because the brand of his Government funded drug was switched. ...
Posted by Michael Wonder on 22 Jul 2020
Epilepsy medicine linked to deaths not same as previous funded drug — advocacy group
22 July 2020 - Testing commissioned by Patient Voice Aotearoa, a patient advocacy group, shows the three medicines given in New ...
Posted by Michael Wonder on 20 Jul 2020
Grieving families lobby Parliament to reverse epilepsy drug brand switch
21 July 2020 - It has been more than nine months since PHARMAC switched to funding epilepsy drug Logem – a ...
Posted by Michael Wonder on 09 Jun 2020
Lamotrigine concerns not addressed
8 June 2020 - A Dunedin mother whose son died soon after his usual epilepsy drug was replaced by a ...
Posted by Michael Wonder on 07 Jun 2020
Kiwis affected by epilepsy drug switch feel let down by PHARMAC review
6 June 2020 - A woman whose son died of a seizure after his epilepsy medication was switched says findings ...
Posted by Michael Wonder on 09 Mar 2020
Reports of epilepsy drug harm increase 30-fold since PHARMAC switches brands
7 March 2020 - Reports of people harmed while taking epilepsy drugs is 30 times what it was before PHARMAC ...
Posted by Michael Wonder on 25 Jan 2020
Bipolar disorder patients suffer 'terrible' side effects after PHARMAC drug brand switch
25 January 2020 - A woman with bipolar disorder says she was "crying everyday" and having thoughts of suicide after ...