PHARMAC is pleased to announce the following changes to the funding access criteria for a number of vaccines. The changes in criteria follow consideration of feedback from the consultations on previous changes to the Immunisation Schedule posted on PHARMAC’s webpage on 19 December 2013 and 6 November 2013 and from recommendations from the Immunisation Subcommittee which met in February 2014.

In summary the effects of the decision are that from 1 July 2014:

• Varicella vaccine – the listing will be amended to read “varicella vaccine” and access will be widened to include vaccination of patient with inborn errors of metabolism and contacts of adult patients who have no clinical history of varicella and who are severely compromised;
• Meningococcal vaccines – the number of doses for vaccination pre and post splenectomy will be increased to three, and funded access widened to include patients with HIV and complement deficiency.
• Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) 13 – funded access will be widened to include patients with HIV.
• Inactivated Polio vaccine – funded access will be widened to include partially vaccinated patients
• HPV vaccine – funded access for females under the age of 20 years will be maintained.
• Adult diphtheria and tetanus – funded access will be widened to include partially immunised patients.
• Hexavalent vaccine – funded access will be widened to allow for vaccination of children up to the age of 10.

For more details, go to: http://www.pharmac.health.nz/news/notification-2014-06-09-nis/