Seymour this afternoon released his letter to the Pharmac board chairperson Paula Bennett setting out his expectations for the agency.
"Pharmac's role should focus on delivering improved health outcomes underpinned by robust data and evidence, in accordance with its statutory responsibilities," he wrote.
"This should serve all New Zealanders based on actual need, without assigning their background as a proxy of need."
Seymour also referenced a 2022 review into Pharmac which called for more transparency and timeliness from the agency, and increased input from patients and patient advocates.
He has asked the chairperson to ensure that Pharmac has appropriate processes and methodologies for ensuring people living with a disease, and their carers and family, can participate and provide input into the decision-making processes.
Pharmac would also be required to publish how it was progressing on that matter.
The 2022 review also recommended responsibility for medical devices be moved to Health New Zealand. However, the previous Labour government retained the responsibility with Pharmac.
Seymour said he would work with Pharmac's board and the Ministry of Health to better understand the role the agency is playing in the value assessment and procurement of medical devices.
He has also asked Pharmac to update its decision-making and evaluation models to include the wider fiscal impact of funding or not funding a medicine.
As part of National's coalition agreement with ACT, Seymour has been tasked with reforming Pharmac's funding model, to account for positive fiscal impacts on the Crown of funding more medicines.
Pharmac will be required to update its statement of intent to reflect the government's priorities, and continue to outline how it is implementing the findings from the 2022 review.
Malcolm Mulholland from Patient Voice Aotearoa welcomed the letter of expectations, saying it signalled a new era was beginning.
"Patient advocates are very pleased to see in the letter, the need to update the statutory objectives of Pharmac so that it can assist in the optimisation of health outcomes. This is welcome news."
