Pharmac knew there were clinical reasons some epilepsy patients would not tolerate a change to their medicines. Photo / RNZPharmac knew there were clinical reasons some epilepsy patients would not tolerate a change to their medicines. But the drug buying agency went ahead with a switch that forced more than 10,000 people to change brands of the anti-epileptic drug lamotrigine anyway. In 2019, Pharmac received assurance from its specialist neurological committee that it would be safe to make the brand switch. Williams said Pharmac had then gone to significant lengths to help patients switch brands before the move was fully implemented on October 1, 2019.

Source: New Zealand Herald February 24, 2021 05:29 UTC