FAQ for Sponsors

The New Zealand Universal List of Medicines NZULM provides an up-to-date and trusted, one-stop-shop of core and commonly used information about medicines (and other products and devices where appropriate) for New Zealand.

The NZULM brings together medicines information from Medsafe, PHARMAC and the Pharmacy Guild into a single standardised product, utilising the “common medicines language” in the New Zealand Medicines Terminology (NZMT).

Further detail on the NZULM can be found on the About tab.

The NZMT is the common language that is shared by people who prescribe, dispense or administer medicines across the health sector in New Zealand. All products that are listed in the terminology are named, described and coded in accordance with SNOMED CT international terminology standards. It covers the generic and trade (brand) names of a medicine, the strength and form of the medicine and the pack size.

The NZULM is an aggregation of information that includes the NZMT. the Pharmaceutical Schedule (containing subsidy information), the Hospital Medicines List, and Medsafe registration information.

It is accessible via this website and is also provided as a data source for software vendors providing prescribing or dispensing systems, or anyone who creates medicines information databases, or who analyses and reports about medicines.

We need the NZULM because until recently there has not been a single standardised source of commonly used information about medicines in New Zealand.

Multiple parties aggregate and disseminate databases of medicines information in varying formats and these contain non-standard names & descriptions for medicines.

The resulting impacts include avoidable medicine errors, duplicated effort and cost, difficulty getting reliable data for clinical, administrative, governance and planning purposes and barriers to advancing key sector strategies such as Medicines New Zealand and other ePharmacy initiatives.

The NZULM currently covers medicines approved by Medsafe for supply in New Zealand and any products listed in the Pharmaceutical Schedule and Hospital Medicines List which fall outside this category. It also includes medicines imported under Section 29 of the Medicines Act.

• Every new medicine or subsidised product.
• Every existing medicine requires a new NZMT listing when there are changes to brand name, active ingredient, strength, dose form, pack size or container.

It is important that all medicines are listed in the NZULM and that they conform to the standards because the NZULM will be the list used by everyone prescribing, dispensing or administering medicines across the health sector.

Yes. You need to apply for a new NZMT listing each time there are changes to brand name, active ingredient, strength, dose form, pack size or container of a medicine.

If you are uncertain whether you need a new listing please phone the Editorial Team on 04 567 8570. They will be pleased to provide advice.

Before lodging an application you'll need to apply for an NZMT listing by email (to listings@nzmt.org.nz) for your medicine. This is because Medsafe asks for a copy of the Listing Certificate provided by NZMT as part of your application.

PHARMAC also asks for details of the product’s NZMT listing as part of the process of applying for a Pharmaceutical Schedule listing. You can use the Listing Certificate as part of your Pharmaceutical Schedule application too.

No. Medsafe’s role in the regulatory process and the regulatory process itself remains unchanged. However, Medsafe asks you to provide the details of a NZMT listing with applications.

We will provide NZMT listing details within one working day in most cases. In some exceptional cases we may take up to three working days to provide a listing. If this delay is necessary we will advise you when the application is lodged.

The NZMT will keep details of your medicine’s listing confidential until the Medsafe consenting process is complete and details of the product’s consent are published by Medsafe.

There is no charge for providing the NZMT listing.

If you don’t provide NZMT listing details with your consent application the details can be provided while the application is being reviewed.

Yes. Pharmacode® is still used by community pharmacies and wholesalers, and it is part of the PHARMAC subsidy process.

Applying for a new NZMT listing is straightforward.
Simply:

• Download the updated listing application form.
• Follow the instructions on the form to record information about the product. If you need more detailed instructions on completing any section of the form you can find them here
• Save the completed form giving it a separate file name.
• E-mail the form to listings @nzmt.org.nz or fax it to 04 567 8571

You can expect to receive a draft NZMT listing for your review and comment within 24 hours. In the unlikely event our process will take longer than that we will advise you there will be a delay.

Clinicians using Section 29 medicines are asked to apply for a New Zealand Medicines Terminology listing to ensure the database covers all medicines being used in New Zealand. Please use the NZMT listing application form.

When completing a listing application for a Section 29 medicine please ensure you select "Section 29 medicine" from the dropdown list for "notification type"

Please see our instruction document for more information on this.

If you have any questions which are not covered by the instruction sheet please phone the Editorial Team on 04 567 8570. They'll be pleased to help you.

When you have completed your from please e-mail it to listings@nzmt.org.nz or fax it to 04 567 8571

We're happy to answer any further questions at info@nzulm.org.nz