Health First, But New Zealanders Continue To Lose Confidence In Medicines Access

Health is New Zealanders’ top priority for Government funding, but when it comes to accessing modern medicines, confidence continues to remain low.

“New Zealanders are putting health first,” said Dr Graeme Jarvis, CEO of Medicines New Zealand. “They want investment across the health system that helps people manage illness, stay well and get on with their lives.”

The latest edition of Public Perceptions of Medicines Access in New Zealand, commissioned by Medicines New Zealand, is the third in a series of nationally representative surveys conducted since mid-2025. Respondents saw health as the Government’s most important funding priority, far ahead of economic development at 15% and education at 8%.

The current survey found that as of September 2026, eight out of every 10 New Zealanders think the Government should be funding medicines more than it currently does. This number is significantly higher than in 2025.

“The survey shows that two out of every three New Zealanders know that New Zealand’s medicines spending is below average compared with peer OECD countries,” said Dr Jarvis, “and that New Zealanders confidence in ability to access to the best available medicine remains very low across several conditions including cancer, rare disorders and heart disease.”

For some chronic conditions, including arthritis and diabetes, the proportion of New Zealanders who were extremely or very confident they could access the best available medicine has fallen significantly over the past two years. Māori have the lowest confidence levels at 18% and 11% for ability to access the best diabetes and arthritis medicines, respectively.

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

“New Zealanders can see that our medicines investment is not keeping pace with comparable countries, and they are increasingly worried about what that means when they or someone they love needs treatment,” Dr Jarvis said. “A diagnosis should provide a pathway to treatment, not uncertainty about whether the best available medicine will be accessible here through the public health system.”

Note:

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.

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading