3 December 2017 - As 2017 draws to a close and the year's last update of the New Zealand Pharmaceutical Schedule has been published, it is worthwhile examining how many new medicines were listed in the New Zealand Pharmaceutical Schedule this calendar year.

Seven new medicines were listed in the Schedule in 2017; this total allows for a few liberal assumptions that favour PHARMAC (see below).

January - Obinutuzumab, Pertuzumab, Pirfenidone

February - Nil

March - Nil

April - Nil

May - Nil

June - Celecoxib (listed as a new generic medicine)

July - Bendamustine hydrochloride, Melatonin (deemed to be a new medicine, even though it is not patent protected)

August - Nil

September - Nil

October - Ferric carboxymaltose (deemed to be a new medicine, even though iron polymaltose is listed in the Schedule)

November - Nil

December - Nil

In summary, only five new patent protected medicines were listed in the New Zealand Pharmaceutical Schedule in 2017 of which four are for cancer. No new medicines listed for many prominent diseases such as diabetes mellitus. No new patent protected medicines listed by many large multinational pharmaceutical companies (Novartis, Pfizer, GSK, Merck, BMS, AstraZeneca, Sanofi, Boehringer Ingelheim).

In a follow-up blog, I will review the listing of new indications in the New Zealand Pharmaceutical Schedule for 2017.