David is one of thousands of New Zealanders living with a chronic condition who are now facing uncertainty after the government announced a major overhaul to prescription rules in Budget 2025.
New Zealand’s government in the budget 2025 announced that, starting early 2026, patients on long-term medications could receive prescriptions lasting up to 12 months. This move aims to reduce healthcare costs and administrative burdens.
However, medical professionals warn that this change could jeopardize the health of individuals with chronic conditions, particularly diabetes.
Health Minister Simeon Brown highlighted the benefits of the new policy, stating that the current system, which requires patients to obtain a new prescription every three months, imposes “unnecessary and costly barriers” for those on stable medications like insulin, asthma inhalers, and blood pressure tablets. He emphasized that the reform would alleviate paperwork for healthcare providers, allowing them to focus on patients with more urgent needs.
While patients will still collect their medications from pharmacies every three months, they won’t need to revisit their doctors for new prescriptions each time. This change could save patients up to $105 annually in GP fees. Despite these advantages, healthcare professionals express serious concerns. Dr. Angus Chambers, Chair of the General Practice Owners Association, cautioned, “Just to leave someone for 12 months to have their diabetes deteriorate may well lead to more emergency department visits and hospital admissions.”Professor Rinki Murphy, an endocrinologist at the University of Auckland, echoed these sentiments, highlighting risks such as “missed side effects or complications” and reduced opportunities for medication reviews and dose adjustments. She also pointed out practical challenges, including the need for patients to manage medication expiry dates and refrigeration requirements. “There’s also the cost of medications up front for patients, which is wasted, if medications need to be changed,” she noted.
Pharmacists share these apprehensions. Andy Hou, owner of Roslyn Pharmacy, questioned the assumption that a patient’s condition would remain stable over a year. “To assume that your blood pressure is going to be stable for 12 months, that’s a terrible assumption and that could lead to some serious issues,” he warned, citing potential risks like strokes or heart attacks due to unmonitored changes in health.
The government has allocated $91 million over four years to support this initiative, aiming to cover the anticipated increase in dispensed medications.
Internationally, countries like Britain, Germany, and Sweden permit up to six months of medication dispensing for patients with chronic diseases, including stable diabetes.