HIV treatment needs to be approved by Medsafe before it can be made available in New Zealand. Once Medsafe has approved it, Pharmac may fund some medications for public use. Your provider will work with international guidelines to provide the treatment that will work best for you.
Not all HIV treatment regimens are available in NZ. A list of the medications available and their funding status can be found
here.
Currently there is only one single pill regimen available in NZ. If you are relocating from overseas you may find you need to change regimens, this will often be a matter of going from a single pill to a multi pill dose of the same medications. In some instances you may need to change to a new regimen.
Discussing which treatment you are currently taking and why with your HIV team will help them find the best medication for you available in NZ. Access to non-funded medication can sometimes be arranged so ask questions if your current treatment option isn’t available. Changing medication does not necessarily mean your health is at risk or that the available medication isn’t as effective. It may just be a matter of a similar drug from a different manufacturer.