Health Minister Tony Ryall has told Parliament today that Pharmac's planning is well advanced on how it will spend tens of millions of dollars in new medicines funding. Mr Ryall said, "$31 million of the new money has been added to Pharmac's Community Pharmaceutical Budget.

Government drug funder PHARMAC is welcoming the increase in the pharmaceutical budget, which it says will help ensure people continue to have improving access to medicines.

The Minister of Health has approved an increased community pharmaceuticals budget for the 2008/09 financial year. The budget of $653 million represents a $17 million increase on 2007/08.