In a substantial shift, New Zealand Associate Minister of Health David Seymour has instructed Pharmac, the government agency responsible for funding pharmaceuticals, to halt considerations involving the Treaty of Waitangi/te Tiriti o Waitangi. This guideline was articulated in a letter of expectation delivered on Tuesday. Seymour stated that integrating the Treaty’s principles into Pharmac’s decision-making process is not an “appropriate expectation.” Instead, he advised the agency to prioritize “robust data and evidence” to enhance health outcomes.
Seymour also remarked during a press conference following the letter’s publication that Pharmac had “burnt a lot of energy” trying to incorporate the Treaty in its operations (Radio New Zealand).
Letters of expectation serve to outline governmental priorities for statutory entities annually. For Pharmac, this directive sharply contrasts with the previous 2023/2024 Letter of Expectation, which supported embedding the Treaty’s principles across the health sector. The Treaty of Waitangi/te Tiriti o Waitangi, signed in 1840, is New Zealand’s foundational constitutional document.
Pharmac’s founding statute, the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022, mandates that health entities, including Pharmac, adhere to the principles of the Treaty, such as partnership and active protection, particularly in improving health outcomes for Māori.
These recent developments follow public scrutiny spotlighted by a 2022 independent review of Pharmac, which pointed out deficiencies in decision-making and the lack of Treaty-based partnership with Māori.
In light of Seymour’s position, Te Pāti Māori, the opposition party, has called for his resignation, citing his admission that there’s no evidence suggesting that the consideration of the Treaty has led to poorer health outcomes for patients. Nevertheless, the letter’s emphasis on enhancing patient involvement in pharmaceutical development was positively received by Patient Voice Aotearoa, an advocacy group, which sees it as a promising development in patient-government communication.
Further details can be found on the JURIST website.