15 April 2026
The peak body for over-the-counter medicines says while it welcomes Government’s moves to better utilise the community pharmacy network and its skills base, the policy doesn’t go far enough.
Consumer Health Products New Zealand (CHPNZ) Chief Executive Scott Milne says that while pharmacists will soon be able to assess a patient and supply a Pharmac-funded treatment for childhood conditions such as headlice, scabies and conjunctivitis, there is a parallel mechanism to cover more conditions. This would make a real difference to struggling kiwi families
“This is a missed opportunity to improve access and choice and to help relieve more minor pain and suffering safely, quickly, and without expensive trips to the GP for a prescription,” Scott Milne said.
“New Zealand’s regulation of low-risk medicines is outdated and no longer fit-for-purpose.
“It is still governed by an Act from the 1980s, when GP’s handwrote prescriptions and relied on fax machines or patients walking copies to their nearest chemist.
“It’s a continuing frustration for many New Zealanders, both for health and hip pocket reasons, that low-risk medicines available in Sydney pharmacies, are not available over the counter in Auckland,
“This is not a ‘safety’ issue – it is a ‘regulation’ issue.
“Pharmac needs to be used to help those under financial stress via New Zealand’s remarkable pharmacy network.
“It also needs to allow people to help themselves where they can, through better access to over-the counter medicines widely sold in Australia and other appropriately regulated countries.
We urge Health New Zealand and Medsafe to work closer together to expand the available medicines for community pharmacies, especially ahead of the winter coughs and colds season, and with more up-to-date regulation.
“We did it with the reintroduction to over-the-counter pseudoephedrine. There are plenty more opportunities like that to explore,” Scott Milne said.
Contact: Scott Milne +64 21 876 326
