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A rewrite of the Medicines Act, is likely to result in a new regulatory body for medical devices, as well as medicines. At the same time, the government is extending the role of its drug buying agency Pharmac, to the purchase of medical devices such as orthopaedic joints, heart valves, and surgical mesh, and MRI machines. What will these changes mean for patient safety, and for access to new treatments and technology? The Health Minister David Clark and Faye Sumner from the Medical Technology Association of New Zealand, discuss the shake-up.
