Pharmaceutical & Allied Products

This sector has about 100 companies totaling around 1,500 employees. It includes companies that:

• manufacture pharmaceutical products locally
• import products for national distribution
• are contract manufacturers for overseas markets
• are local producers of cosmetics,toiletries and health related products (nutraceuticals)
• are local producers of veterinary products
• are local producers of biotechnical products
• are local producers of medical devices.

The pharmaceutical and allied products sector excludes compounding of medicines in community and hospital pharmacies.  These sectors are covered by the Pharmacy ITO: www.pito.org.nz

Most companies in the pharmaceutical and allied products sector are located in the main centres in New Zealand, especially Auckland, with the exception of one large company, NZ Pharmaceuticals which is based in Palmerston North.

Only small quantities of pharmaceutical products are manufactured locally. Most pharmaceutical products in New Zealand have been imported under license, they are then quality tested in New Zealand and repackaged and distributed. As a result of Pharmac’s tight regulations on the availability of restricted drugs, bigger global companies find it is more cost effective to import their products usually from their manufacturing plants based elsewhere,  than to manufacture in New Zealand.

For companies that manufacture pharmaceuticals and the range of allied products described above in New Zealand, strict regulatory guidelines must be met.  These companies must adhere to the Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) quality management system, which requires stringent processes to be followed.

Employees in the pharmaceutical and allied products industry need all the usual skills needed for manufacturing. In addition, employees in this sector often need a strong understanding of chemistry, food technology, quality assurance, and hygiene, as companies are required to adhere to strict regulatory guidelines in the formulation and production of products for human and animal consumption.

Click here for a list of qualifications for the pharmaceutical and allied products industry.

For further information on our qualifications please contact: info@PaMPITO.org.nz

For further information on the pharmaceutical and allied products sector visit the Therapeutic Products Manufacturers Associations website: www.tpma.org.nz