PHARMAC responds to Stewart Mann on dihydropyridine calcium channel antagonists.

PHARMAC’s legislative objective is “to secure for eligible people in need of pharmaceuticals, the best health outcomes that are reasonably achievable from pharmaceutical treatment and from within the amount of funding provided.” Two of the ways in which PHARMAC achieves this is by reference pricing and by negotiating sole supply contracts with pharmaceutical suppliers. When managed appropriately, these strategies free up funding to invest in other unsubsidised medicines, gaining additional clinical benefit elsewhere.