51714 (2024). Ingrid Leary to the Minister for Mental Health

Written Question

Published date: 02 Sep 2024

Metadata

Document type:	Written Question
Parliament number:	54
Question number:	51714 (2024)
Question asked:	19 Aug 2024
Member asking:	Ingrid Leary
Portfolio:	Minister for Mental Health
Minister replying:	Hon Matt Doocey
Answer received:	27 Aug 2024
Status:	Question Answered
Reply type:	Reply
Document ID:	WQ_51714_2024
Document guid:	23e5da60-9562-40ed-97c1-3abd85689be7

51714 (2024). Ingrid Leary to the Minister for Mental Health: Does the Minister agree with psychiatrist Dr Caleb Armstrong that ketamine should be more widely available to the around 100,000 New Zealanders not responding to conventional treatment for depression; if so, what, if anything, will he do to address this?

Hon Matt Doocey: I am advised that decisions related to the prescribing of approved medicines rest with medical practitioners. I am further advised there are no regulatory restrictions on prescribing that are specific to Ketamine and that there are no issues related to the supply of this medicine.