Thousands of Kiwis are waiting for medicines they may never receive. Not because the medicines don’t exist. Not because they don’t work. Because New Zealand won’t fund them.
Hundreds of medicines (funded and available in Australia, the UK, and other countries) remain out of reach for New Zealanders. It’s enough to fill an entire pharmacy. So that’s what we did.
On 25 July 2026, the Forbidden Pharmacy was a walk-through interactive installation holding 200+ medicines that are funded and available across the OECD, but out of reach here in New Zealand. Those who attended were able to hear the stories of patients fighting to access the treatment they need. Behind every locked medicine is a person fighting for access.
New Zealand’s outdated policy is keeping effective medicines from patients that needs them, forcing people to look overseas, to countries like Australia, China and the UK, for treatment they should be able to get at home.
Myeloma NZ is one of 17 organisations who have joined together to fight to unlock the medicines New Zealand needs.
Visit https://www.forbiddenpharmacy.org/ to find out more and sign the open letter.