13,000 People To Benefit From New Insulin Medicine

Pharmac will fund a new type of insulin for people with diabetes, branded as Ryzodeg, from 1 May 2025.

Pharmac’s Director Pharmaceuticals, Geraldine MacGibbon, expects about 13,000 people with diabetes will benefit from this insulin in the first year of funding, increasing to about 18,000 after five years.

“Ryzodeg is a combination of a long-acting and a rapid-acting insulin. It helps manage blood sugar levels throughout the day.

“We received feedback from people who would benefit from this decision. They shared with us how funding Ryzodeg would make living with diabetes easier, especially for people who have difficulty managing their insulin needs with the currently funded products.

“They also told us it would mean they could reduce the number of times they need to inject themselves with insulin,” MacGibbon says.

NovoMix 30, an older insulin product is being discontinued by the same supplier, Novo Nordisk, from the end of this year.

“The feedback we received from the community confirmed that Ryzodeg will provide another option for people who currently use NovoMix 30,” says MacGibbon.

“We will continue to work with Diabetes New Zealand, the New Zealand Society for the Study of Diabetes (NZSSD), and the supplier to make sure that the community and health care professionals understand what funded insulin options are available for people with diabetes.

“We want to thank everyone who provided feedback during our public consultation on Ryzodeg. Your input is valuable to us and has an impact on the decisions we make.”

Decision to fund a new type of insulin for the management of diabetes: https://www.pharmac.govt.nz/news-and-resources/consultations-and-decisions/2025-04-decision-to-fund-a-new-type-of-insulin-for-the-management-of-diabetes

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