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.

“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.

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