New Zealanders are more worried than ever about their ability to access the medicines they need. A new nationwide survey, conducted by Perceptive, shows overwhelming support for increased government investment in modern medicines and growing concern that our country is falling further behind similar nations on access to publicly funded medicines.
The survey shows that for New Zealanders, health is the highest priority for government funding at 55%, well ahead of economic development and infrastructure at 15% and 8% respectively. Within health, access to publicly funded modern medicines sits in the top three most important areas for government investment, close behind hospital and specialist services and general practice.
“The message from the public is clear, New Zealanders do not think we are doing enough to improve our medicines access, and they want that to change,” said Dr Graeme Jarvis, CEO of Medicines New Zealand. “81% of people now believe the Government should be funding medicines more than it currently does.”
New Zealanders feel strongly that the country is not measuring up to international peers when it comes to both funding and access to modern medicines. Both perspectives have become significantly more negative since 2025 with 61% of New Zealanders believing our access to publicly funded medicines is worse than our peers, and 67% recognising that our investment levels are below peer OECD countries.
“People can see that we are not measuring up to other countries and that perception is getting worse, not better,” said Dr Jarvis. “New Zealanders are not asking to be world‑leading but right now, we’re not even near average.”
Fewer than four in ten New Zealanders are confident they could access the best available medicine in New Zealand if they or someone close to them needed it.
“New Zealanders see access to modern medicines as essential, not optional,” said Dr Jarvis. “They want a health system that gives them and their whānau timely access to the same treatments people receive in comparable countries, and they want decision makers to move more quickly to deliver that. It is time for New Zealand to stop accepting below average modern medicines access and finally dare to be average.”
The full report, Public Perceptions of Medicines Access in New Zealand 2026, is available here.
END
Medicines New Zealand is the industry group representing biopharmaceutical companies operating in New Zealand. We advocate for the benefits of modern medicines and vaccines as part of a high-quality public health system.
Contact:
Grace Abbott, Communications Advisor, Medicines New Zealand.
Ph: 027 534 6461