NZNO urges Pharmac to take Israeli drug company off its list

New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) has deep concerns about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the aggression of the Israeli state towards the Palestinian peoples.

Board member and mental health nurse Grant Brookes said: "We are aware that some drug suppliers such as Teva are funding Israeli activities in Gaza and the West bank. Last year, Teva contributed almost $1 billion in revenue to the Israeli government, and in June this year it agreed to settle an historical tax bill of up to $2 billion. We don’t support Teva or any other supplier that enables Israel's acts of aggression."

On 19 July 2024, the International Court of Justice issued an advisory opinion declaring Israel’s occupation of the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT; encompassing the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem) to be illegal under international law. Teva profits from this illegal occupation at the expense of Palestinian health, because Israel excludes cheaper drug companies from supplying what is a "captive market" for them in the OPT.

"For this reason, we call on Pharmac through its tender process to replace medicines currently on the Pharmaceutical Schedule that are currently supplied by Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd (Teva) with another brand," Brookes said.

"They should also refrain from sourcing from Teva other medicines currently on the Pharmaceutical schedule but procured through other suppliers and refrain from sourcing from Teva medicines that are not currently on the Pharmaceutical Schedule, but which Pharmac intends to add to the schedule."