24 April 2015 - PHARMAC is seeking feedback on a proposal to list a range of Interventional Cardiology products supplied by Abbott Laboratories NZ Ltd (“Abbott”) in Part III of Section H of the Pharmaceutical Schedule from 1 June  2015.

In summary, this proposal would result in:

• Around 350 interventional cardiology products which are already supplied to DHB Hospitals being supplied by Abbott under a proposed national agreement that all DHBs may purchase under, subject to consultation and approval. This agreement would not be a sole supply agreement, and DHBs would continue to be able to purchase other suppliers’ brands of interventional cardiology products.
• Abbott would continue providing educational services that will be tailored to suit the needs of individual DHB Hospitals in format and time as required by DHB Hospitals.
• Estimated total savings to DHBs of approximately $310,000 per annum based on past usage.  Pricing for interventional cardiology products in the agreement, subject to any prior termination of the agreement would not be increased before 1 June 2018.

For more details, go to: http://www.pharmac.health.nz/news/consultation-2015-04-24-cardiology/