Pharmac told by minister to ditch Treaty of Waitangi consideration and improve trust

The nation’s drug-buying agency, Pharmac , is being told by the Government to halt consideration of the Treaty of Waitangi and make efforts to improve public trust in the organisation. Those are some of the key directives from Pharmac Minister David Seymour in his letter of expectations to Pharmac chairwoman Paula Bennett, which is being discussed at an event in Wellington today attended by Pharmac representatives, patient advocacy groups and others from the health sector. In Seymour’s letter is an expectation Pharmac includes patient groups in decision-making processes to ensure patients , carers and families have adequate input.

“Patient advocates welcome working alongside the Government and Pharmac to usher in a new era where our drug-procurement agency can be vastly improved for the benefit of patients,” Patient Voice Aotearoa chairman Malcolm Mulholland says. “The letter of expectations signals that era is beginning.”.