A new nationwide poll has revealed that a large number of New Zealanders are very concerned about the country’s poor public access to modern medicines, and they want change. 

“The results are a real eye opener,” said Dr Graeme Jarvis, CEO of Medicines New Zealand. “They clearly show that one out of every two New Zealanders are aware that access to publicly funded modern medicines is much worse here than in our peer countries like Australia and the UK.”

The poll, conducted by Perceptive, highlights that the majority of New Zealanders still feel the country’s public investment levels into medicines is below average compared to comparable countries including those with similar or lower wealth status. 

Notably, eight out of 10 New Zealanders believe that having access to modern medicines is important to the health system. 

“Other findings reinforce the view that while there has been some new investment into modern medicines to help patients and the public health system, there is still a long way to go,” said Dr Jarvis. 

People see access to modern medicines as a core issue and believe it should be a bigger priority for decision makers. With more than one in three New Zealanders saying increased access to publicly funded medicines could influence them when voting in next year’s general election. 

“It's clear that New Zealanders see access to modern medicines as important to the future of our health system,” said Dr Jarvis. 

 “Effective, modern treatments can have a profound positive impact on people’s lives, and New Zealanders clearly want access to these medicines.”

The full report from this survey can be found here

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Medicines New Zealand is the industry association 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