'Disappointment' no Pacific voice included in Pharmac review

The president of the Pacific Pharmacists’ Association, Kasey Brown, says she's disappointed that her organisation wasn't consulted or a Pacific person included in a major review of the drug-buying agency Pharmac.

Brown is one of 38 Pacific pharmacists in New Zealand and says she can't believe there's no Pacific representation on the panel to give a voice to the 300,000 Pacific people in New Zealand.

“It blows my mind that we were not consulted. I don’t want to put Pharmac into a situation because we normally collaborate with each other.

"But it’s very disappointing that there is not going to be a Pacific voice, especially when they are going to be looking at equity for our Pacific peoples.”

Pharmac is the government’s drug-buying agency and decides what lifesaving and life transforming drugs are made available to New Zealanders. ​​

She said she only found out about the review a day after the announcement was made. ​

This week, the Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Health Minister Andrew Little said a panel of experts would review Pharmac's timeliness and transparency of decision-making. It will also consider the issue of equity, including access to medicines and medical devices for Pacific communities.

Brown says that the review is needed, and she will approach Pharmac to offer her contribution as a practising senior Pacific pharmacist.

“I think the review is a good idea. We need to understand where money is being spent and what is going to benefit the wider population.”

Brown says the Pacific community often faces many cultural barriers when visiting a pharmacy. The main issue that she has come across in her Gisborne pharmacy is the community not being able to understand the collective impact of modern medicines.

“There is a lack of understanding and fear within our community when they are not use to their medication.

"For example, for one condition you may need one to four medications to treat it.

"For example, with diabetes you can be on insulin as well as oral medication.

"There’s a lack of understanding why you may need both when they do two completely different things to help manage that condition.

"It’s about understanding and getting our Pacific families to engage with us so we can bridge that gap.”