Media release from association health miniser Peter Dunne

Health professionals will soon have access to an up-to-date, comprehensive and New Zealand-specific medicines information resource, Associate Health Minister Peter Dunne announced today.

"Whether prescribing, dispensing or administering a medicine, the New Zealand Medicines Formulary (NZMF) will be the first reference resource for health professionals wanting information on those medicines," Mr Dunne said.

"It will be a true one-stop-shop covering clinical information as well classification and subsidy status," he said.

He said the formulary will provide concise, independent, evidence-based medicines information and guidance on best practice, and will be available in all service areas.

"This will result in better and more consistent decision-making about how medicines are used to benefit New Zealand patients," Mr Dunne said.

The formulary will be continuously updated, accessible online and on portable devices, and over time, will be fully integrated with the e-health environment including prescribing and dispensing software.

A core component of the NZMF will be providing the British National Formulary (BNF), the BNF for Children and other licensed information including Stockley's Interaction Alerts.  Importantly, the UK content and ongoing updates will be modified to suit the New Zealand environment.

 "In 2008 I secured $2.2 million in Budget funding for 'Investing in the Medicines Sector' as part of implementing the medicines strategy, Medicines New Zealand," Mr Dunne said.

"One of the key reasons I pursued this funding so vigorously was because of the consistent feedback I was receiving from health professionals about the lack of a robust first reference source on medicines for health professionals across various disciplines.

"I am delighted that we are addressing those very concerns for the sake of New Zealanders when they require medicines," he said.

The NZMF Project Steering Group has selected a partnership between the Best Practice Advocacy Centre New Zealand (BPACnz), Best Practice Advocacy Centre Inc (BPACinc) and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain as the preferred supplier.

The formulary is expected to be rolled out across the sector within 12 months.