Government Urges Pharmac, Medsafe to Embrace AI for Faster Medicine Approval

The New Zealand government is pushing for the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in the processes of Pharmac and Medsafe to expedite the approval of new medicines. Associate Health Minister David Seymour recently wrote to the agencies, and both have responded positively.

David Seymour stated, 'I believe that technology absorption greatly increases productivity and see AI playing a role in a more efficient Pharmac and Medsafe. Finding efficiencies in medicine assessment processes means patients can access the treatments they need faster.'

Medsafe group manager Chris James acknowledged that AI could help streamline medicine decisions, speed up audits, and analyze large information sets. 'We are also in the early stages of broader discussions about access to other AI tools with the ability to manage larger datasets and meet our commercial and patient sensitive confidentiality requirements,' James said.

Pharmac chair Paula Bennett expressed her appreciation for the minister's support and encouragement. 'I share your views that AI presents exciting opportunities to enhance productivity, improve processes, and deliver better outcomes for New Zealanders,' she said. Bennett noted that staff are already using Microsoft Copilot 'enthusiastically and creatively' to improve efficiency.

Staff at Pharmac have begun using AI tools to assist with tasks such as processing complex information, analyzing large volumes of data, and improving the clarity and accessibility of technical content. 'These applications are already helping us work more quickly and effectively and will also have a role in supporting greater transparency in our decision-making,' Bennett added.

The adoption of AI in these agencies is expected to revolutionize the way new medicines are evaluated and approved, ultimately benefiting patients by providing faster access to necessary treatments.