A National MP has called for an inquiry into Pharmac after four people died following an epilepsy drug brand switch.
Two complaints have now been laid with the Health and Disability Commissioner alleging the drug buying agency breached patient rights to be treated with respect, to make informed choices and to give consent.
"This matter raises significant issues and I will be following this up with Pharmac," the Commissioner tells RNZ In Depth journalist Guyon Espiner.
Pharmac has responded with a statement from Director of Operations Lisa Williams.
It says it could have done more to inform and reassure patients, but it did communicate. Among other things, Pharmac put in place a five-month transition period to allow people time to change brands; it sent information leaflets to health professionals to distribute, and held a Facebook Live event in June.
Pharmac also says any person using Lamotrigine can apply for funding to stay on their current brand, rather than Logem. More than 400 people have applied, and Pharmac has approved 113 of those applications.
Pharmac says Logem has been approved for use in New Zealand by MedSafe, the New Zealand Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Authority, and is used in a number of other countries. For most of the people taking it, Pharmac says Logem works in the same way as the other two brands.
Patients who have been prescribed Logem should not stop taking it - and raise any concerns with your doctor, and Pharmac says it will refund those visits.
