Nearly $1 million worth of Government-funded drugs to deal with a possible flu pandemic have been wasted

[Sally Furniss]

Nearly $1 million worth of Government-funded drugs to deal with a possible flu pandemic have been wasted, the National Party says.
National's health spokesman Tony Ryall says a stockpile of the antibiotic Amoxycillin has been destroyed because it expired.
Information provided to National by the Health Minister's office showed almost $875,000 worth of Amoxycillin has expired, as well as $300,000 worth of Tamiflu.
Mr Ryall says the drugs should have been rotated as the Government's drug buying agency Pharmac promised would happen.
Former Health Minister Pete Hodgson says it was obvious that extra medicines brought into New Zealand would be wasted if there was no pandemic.
Mr Hodgson says the budgetary process was clear and transparent.

Copyright ? 2008 Radio New Zealand

http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/latest/200805151924/4bd51f4

[JJackson]

Re: Nearly $1 million worth of Government-funded drugs to deal with a possible flu pandemic have been wasted

Amoxycillin is a very commonly prescribed antibiotic and it should not be a problem rotating it so I do not see Pete Hodgson's comment make any sense at all.
Even the Tamiflu should have been donated to one of the countries that are using it there would have been plenty of takers this is negligent waste.

[gsgs]

Re: Nearly $1 million worth of Government-funded drugs to deal with a possible flu pandemic have been wasted

now, unfortunately all the Tamiflu from private preppers can't be
rotated due to drug-laws.

At least in Germany. How is it in USA ?

[tropical]

Re: Nearly $1 million worth of Government-funded drugs to deal with a possible flu pandemic have been wasted

You can name it as gambling.

Looking at what quantities of preppers stocked food perished, that's nothing.

Like JJ said, the meds can be donated "in a last minute way" to subsaharian/african/elsewhere/nondeveloped countries which heavily needs them.

[JJackson]

Re: Nearly $1 million worth of Government-funded drugs to deal with a possible flu pandemic have been wasted

With a pre-pandemic vaccine, and to a lesser extent with Tamiflu where stocks are large compared to normal turnover, there is going to be the danger of wastage but if Amoxycillin stocks are not being turned then I would be interested to know why. I apologies in advance if there is a good reason that I just have not thought of but this seems like lack of forethought. Any of the prep guides - mine included - emphasizes the need to use a first-in-first-out stocking system, although they acknowledge that some items - like powdered milk - might only be used in an emergency and might need to be binned (or in my case given to the neighbours ferrets).

[Sally Furniss]

Re: Nearly $1 million worth of Government-funded drugs to deal with a possible flu pandemic have been wasted

Bird flu drugs 'poured down the drain'

Thursday, 15 May 2008


Nearly $1 million worth of antibiotics was being poured down the drain after drugs, bought in case of a bird flu pandemic, had expired, National MP Tony Ryall said.

Health Minister David Cunliffe said in response to written parliamentary questions that the oral liquid antibiotic, Amoxycillin Clavulanate 250mg, which was known to have a relatively short shelf life, had expired in January this year.


These antibiotics had cost $847,875 to buy.


Mr Cunliffe also said that 103, of the 1229 treatment courses of Tamiflu the Government had purchased, had also expired.


These courses cost $300,000 excluding GST, he said.


Mr Ryall said the $847,875 worth of antibiotics was "a fifth" of the national stockpile of pandemic plan antibiotics.


"The New Zealand taxpayer is not only subsidising cheap medicines for tourists and some overseas students, but apparently the country can afford to waste nearly $1 million worth of antibiotics as well," he said.


The antibiotic had a two-year shelf life so it could "and should" have been rotated as Pharmac had promised it would be, Mr Ryall said.


In statement in June 2006, the Government's drug buying agency Pharmac said while antibiotics did not offer protection against influenza viruses, it anticipated the supplies of antibiotics being used in cases of secondary bacterial infections.
It said purchasing the drugs would cost district health boards $4.6 million.
Pharmac's medical director Dr Peter Moodie said at the time that DHB hospitals had agreed to manage rotation of the stocks in order to minimise stock expiry.


Pharmac would also be monitoring stock levels and expiry dates and running further purchasing programmes to maintain the levels of stock as needed.


In this way as little stock as possible should expire, he said.
Former health minister Pete Hodgson today told Parliament that when the country was preparing for a possible pandemic, a decision was taken to have a "surge capacity of, especially, injectable antibiotics and Tamiflu brought into the country in the knowledge that if there was no pandemic, they would be wasted".


Mr Hodgson said the budgetary process for doing so was clear and transparent at the time and was made public.


Earlier this week, Consumer NZ chief executive Sue Chetwin said many people on visitors or students permits were getting subsidised pharmacy medicines they were not entitled to at a cost to the taxpayer.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4550073a11.html

[Sally Furniss]

Re: Nearly $1 million worth of Government-funded drugs to deal with a possible flu pandemic have been wasted

It is not clear whether the Tamiflu was also destroyed only that it had expired.

[mixin]

Re: Nearly $1 million worth of Government-funded drugs to deal with a possible flu pandemic have been wasted

When did New Zealand purchase their Tamiflu? In the IOM document for the US, it states that

As an example, drugs purchased by a state in 2006 with an expiration dating of 5 years would not expire in 2011, but be considered viable until 2013.

This extra 2 years comes from our shelf-life extension program.

[Sally Furniss]

Re: Nearly $1 million worth of Government-funded drugs to deal with a possible flu pandemic have been wasted

Threads about NZ Tamiflu

http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=39296

http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=24237

[mixin]

Re: Nearly $1 million worth of Government-funded drugs to deal with a possible flu pandemic have been wasted

I found this in your links:

This month, most New Zealand stocks of Tamiflu powder, which is mixed with water for children to take, would expire, he said.
Most Tamiflu capsules would then expire about 2010.

I didn't find what % of the stockpile is already mixed for children. Probably not a large %?