Proposal to fund sexual health products

From 1 April 2027, internal condoms would be funded when prescribed for any relevant use, and water-based lubricant would be funded when prescribed with any funded condoms.

We anticipate that the proposal to fund internal condoms would benefit around 900 people and tens of thousands of people who use funded condoms would benefit from funding of water-based lubricant.

Both products would be available via prescription, where they could be collected from a community pharmacy. They would also be available on Practitioner’s Supply Order (PSO). 

Why we’re proposing this

Internal condoms

Pharmac has an open funding application for internal condoms for STI prevention and contraception, which is currently ranked on Pharmac’s Options for Investment list.

Our expert advisors were supportive of internal condoms being funded and considered that funding internal condoms would provide “receiving” partners with a funded product which would offer autonomy for barrier STI protection and contraception (currently only external (“male”) condoms are funded).

Water-based lubricant

Pharmac has an open funding application for water-based, non-irritant lubricant sachets for use with funded condoms. Our expert advisors were supportive of water-based lubricant sachets being funded and told us that condoms are less likely to break or tear if water-based lubricants are used.

If funded, we anticipate internal condoms and lubricant would help people have safer sex, through increased choice and reduced condom breakage, meaning less STI transmission.

Procurement Process

In December 2024, Pharmac released a competitive procurement process (a Request for Proposals, “RFP”) to source a brand of internal condoms and a brand of water-based lubricant. We ran a competitive process as there are multiple suppliers of internal condoms and water-based lubricant. As a government entity, Pharmac must comply with the Government Procurement Rules and ensure our procurement processes are fair and open.

Global Medics was selected as the preferred supplier for internal condoms through this process, and we have entered into a provisional agreement for the supply of its brand of internal condoms, Cupid.

Global Medics was also selected as the preferred supplier for water-based lubricant, and we have entered into a provisional agreement for the supply of its brand of lubricant, Cupid.

We also requested proposals for different pack types of water-based lubricant, including multi-use containers 50 g to 499 g and 500 g or more. We are not proposing to fund these products as part of this process.

Details about our proposal

Internal Condoms

Internal condoms would be listed as female condoms in Section B of the Pharmaceutical Schedule from 1 April 2027, without restriction, as follows:

Original Pack (“OP”) dispensing would be applied, which would mean that the subsidised quantity could be rounded up to the size of the pack. This would mean that community pharmacies would not need to split the 100 pack of condoms when dispensing a prescription.

In addition to prescriptions, internal condoms would also be available on a Practitioners Supply Order (PSO), with a maximum PSO amount of 50 condoms (i.e. five packs).

Pharmac ran this competitive process in reference to “internal condoms”. However, the Pharmaceutical Schedule listing would reference “female condoms” to reflect the language used on the condom packet and in the Contraception, Sterilisation, and Abortion Act 1977, which details the standards required for compliance. Pharmac acknowledges that internal condoms may be used by people of any gender.

Internal condoms would be funded in the community setting only. They would not be listed in any part of Section H of the Pharmaceutical Schedule.

Water-based lubricant

Water-based lubricant would be listed in Section B of the Pharmaceutical Schedule from 1 April 2027, as follows:

Water-based lubricant would be funded subject to endorsement criteria, as follows:

1. Maximum 60 sachets per prescription.
2. Up to 60 sachets available on a PSO.
3. Subsidy by endorsement -

For a person who has also been prescribed condoms and prescription is endorsed accordingly. Pharmacists may annotate the prescription as endorsed where there exists a record of prior dispensing of condoms.

Note: prescription is considered endorsed if lubricant is prescribed in conjunction with condoms.

In addition to prescriptions, water-based lubricant sachets would also be available on a Practitioners Supply Order (PSO), with a maximum PSO amount of 60 sachets.

A dispensing maximum of 60 sachets per prescription has been proposed to align with the maximum dispensing amounts for most funded condoms.

Original Pack (“OP”) dispensing would be applied, which would mean that the subsidised quantity could be rounded up to the size of the pack. This would mean that community pharmacies would not need to split the 10 pack of sachets when dispensing a prescription.

The proposed water-based lubricant brand, Cupid, has the following ingredients: ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, sodium hydroxide, purified water, carbopol, sodium benzoate and glycerin. The lubricant has a pH of 5.5-7.0 and an osmolality of less or equal to 1200 mOSm/kg.

Water-based lubricant would be funded in the community setting only. It would not be listed in any part of Section H of the Pharmaceutical Schedule.