Government Pushes Pharmac and Medsafe to Accelerate Medicine Access with AI

Government Encourages Pharmac and Medsafe to Adopt AI for Faster Medicine Approval

The government has called on Pharmac and Medsafe to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into their workflows to accelerate the approval process for new medicines. Associate Health Minister David Seymour confirmed he recently reached out to both agencies, receiving positive responses.

"Technology absorption significantly boosts productivity, and AI can help make Pharmac and Medsafe more efficient," Seymour said. "By streamlining medicine assessment, patients gain quicker access to necessary treatments."

Medsafe’s Perspective on AI Integration

Medsafe group manager Chris James acknowledged AI's potential to simplify medicine-related decisions, speed up audits, and analyze large datasets. Currently, a few staff members are involved in a Ministry of Health pilot using Microsoft's Copilot AI tool.

"We are also exploring access to other AI tools capable of managing larger datasets while respecting commercial and patient confidentiality," James added.

Pharmac’s Approach to AI

Pharmac chair Paula Bennett expressed appreciation for the minister’s encouragement regarding AI's potential. She agreed that AI offers opportunities to boost productivity, improve processes, and deliver better outcomes for New Zealanders.

Staff at Pharmac are already using Microsoft Copilot effectively. Bennett highlighted that AI assists with processing complex information, analyzing vast amounts of data, and enhancing the clarity and accessibility of technical content.

"These tools help us work faster and more efficiently, and they will support greater transparency in our decision-making," she said.

What This Means for Government Professionals

• AI adoption can reduce delays in medicine approval, benefiting public health.
• Government agencies are beginning to pilot and explore AI tools tailored to their data and confidentiality needs.
• Staff engagement with AI tools is already improving workflow productivity and decision transparency.

For government professionals interested in AI and how it can support agency goals, exploring relevant training and courses can be valuable. Resources such as Complete AI Training’s latest AI courses offer practical learning paths tailored to public sector applications.