An innovative Canterbury start-up that harnesses AI and other new tech tools to reduce medicine-related errors in pharmacies has won an international business award.

Script Sense is the brainchild of two Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury (UC) Master of Business Administration (MBA) students, Puneet Saini and Kieran Erasmuson, along with co-founder Rijul Gupta, a PhD candidate at the University of Sydney.

The company has won the prestigious Start-up of the Year Award 2024 from the global Association of MBAs (AMBA) and Business Graduates Association (BGA), announced in London on 19 January.

Saini, Script Sense’s Chief Executive Officer, says the international recognition is a huge boost. “It’s amazing to win this award, particularly since we are eagerly anticipating the release of our system later this month.

“Our goal is that by 2030, we will have expanded into six major international markets, servicing over 13,000 pharmacies, and generating over US$100 million in annual export revenues for New Zealand. This win is a real honour and will also raise our reputation and brand profile in key future overseas markets such as the United Kingdom and the United States.”

The global pharmacy market spends over US$14 billion annually on management systems. Script Sense is a cloud-based pharmacy management platform that aims to reduce the 2000 deaths a year that are caused by medicine-related errors in Aotearoa New Zealand. It harnesses technologies such as cloud computing, process automation, machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) with the goal of improving productivity and creating a safer, more efficient healthcare experience.

“The number of deaths from medicine-related errors in New Zealand is higher than our road toll, Saini says. “We believe we can make a dramatic dent in that number. It won’t happen overnight, but we hope our product will eventually eliminate most preventable human errors once it’s deployed to its full potential.”

He says there are a lot of inefficiencies and manual procedures in pharmacies and having a machine doing some of those administrative tasks will free up pharmacists to spend more time with their patients. “That’s what pharmacists tell me they want to do; talk to patients, increase their understanding of medication and improve healthcare outcomes. That’s why we believe Script Sense will have an impact from day one.”

Script Sense automates manual data entry and non-clinical tasks, potentially saving more than 50 per cent of administrative pharmacy labour hours, improving patient care and releasing capacity in the primary healthcare system.

Saini, a registered pharmacist, met Erasmuson when they were both MBA students at UC. Script Sense was established in February 2022 and the team secured substantial seed funding early in 2023 from investors following an industry demonstration. “We are immensely grateful to our earliest investors who thoroughly believed in the Script Sense vision and the ability of our team to deliver the product to market,” Saini says.

“I’ve been in the pharmacy industry for 15 years, and I’ve managed a number of community pharmacies, so I have a grass-roots level understanding of the industry, while Kieran has run multiple businesses. He had previously worked with Rijul (Gupta), who has machine learning expertise.”

Saini says UC’s MBA course was instrumental in the development of Script Sense. “We gained an invaluable toolkit of critical thinking business tools from the MBA programme itself, as well as some fantastic networking opportunities through student and alumni meet-up events and business school professors.

He says the Script Sense team is excited about 2024. “We’ve won, we’re releasing our product, and we’re hoping to move into the Australian market towards the end of the year. It feels full of possibilities.”

New Zealand's ACT party has announced that it will work to repeal the country's ban on cold and flu medications that contain pseudoephedrine, stating that the ban is ineffective as it has done nothing to stop the production of methamphetamine (P).

Since being banned, pseudoephedrine-based medicines have become harder to obtain, while meth production by gangs has continued, with cooks having found cheaper ways to make the drug, the party claims.

ACT's health spokesperson Todd Stephenson argued that fighting meth production required a different approach, and that lifting the ban would make it easier for people to access cold and flu treatments.

Community pharmacists from the Prescription Access Initiative are delighted the 2023 Budget removes the patient co-payment prescription fee for everybody.

"We are crying - we are so delighted, pleased and relieved for our communities - everyone will have better access to healthcare," said PAI spokesperson Vicky Chan.

"The positive impacts will be huge - it’s difficult to take in. We wholeheartedly congratulate and thank the Government for this fantastic move."

Currently, the $5-per-item fee leads to unnecessary hospitalisations, and people being in pain and sicker for longer, as recent research and pharmacist surveys have shown. "This will save people pain, illness, heartbreak and distress," said Chan.

She said benefits of the fee removal will include better community health and wellbeing, fewer work absences and an easing of the burden on the hospital system, as well as helping everyone with the current cost of living crisis.

"The atmosphere in our pharmacies will lift, I cannot describe the lightness and how pleased we are to be able to help everyone without anyone having to worry about cost," said Chan.

"We will be able to give health advice and deliver medicines without the fee getting in the way and stressing people out and shifting the focus of our conversations.

"This is a very very good day, and a great move for all New Zealanders."
 

Leading healthcare provider ProCare has today welcomed the removal of the $5 prescription co‑payment, as announced in today’s Budget.

Bindi Norwell, Chief Executive at ProCare says: “Scrapping the $5 prescription fee is something that we have called for from the Health Minister, so we are delighted that our calls have been heeded. Additionally, we are pleased for our community pharmacy colleagues, who have also been calling for this for some time.

“There is evidence showing that the $5 prescription fee acts as a barrier for many whānau across Aotearoa and results in them not taking their medication, thereby ending up even more unwell and requiring expensive hospital-based care.

“Today’s announcement will save the government money and shift the dial significantly from an equity perspective,” she continues.

Dr Allan Moffit, Clinical Director at ProCare says: “The recent Otago University research highlighted that for every 100 people who received free prescriptions, 33 were admitted to hospital and stayed for 208 days. However, for every 100 people who paid the $5 charge, 41 were admitted to hospital and stayed for 326 days. Removing the charge had a substantial effect on the odds of being hospitalised, reducing the number of admissions for mental health problems, the number of admissions for COPD, and the length of stay for COPD admissions.

“Today’s announcement is to be warmly welcomed,” he concludes.

Removing the $5 prescription fee (as announced in today's budget)  is a positive move - especially for young people accessing contraceptives, Family Planning chief executive Jackie Edmond says.

"For young people in particular, a prescription fee can mean the difference between picking up medication, or not. When it comes to critical medication like contraception, we want to remove every barrier we can and we believe that removing this fee will make a difference," Ms Edmond says.

Earlier this year, Family Planning signed a petition in support of removing the prescription fee which we believed imposed significant hardship on low-income households and young people on limited budget.

The change announced today will mean that for a young person under the age of 22, not only will their visit to Family Planning be free but they will not need to pay any prescription fees either. Previously, the fee applied to medications like the majority of contraceptive pills, some emergency contraception, some treatment for sexually transmissible infections, thrush treatment, and Mirena and Jaydess IUDS, pre-natal vitamins, hormone therapy and treatment for heavy bleeding, and prescriptions for condoms.

"Lots of what we do is on this list!" Ms Edmond says. 
 

The Pharmacy Guild of New Zealand (the Guild) is welcoming the government’s removal of the $5 prescription charge in today’s Budget, with effect from 1 July 2023.

Guild Chief Executive, Andrew Gaudin says “Removing the prescription charge is an investment in New Zealanders’ health and the wider health system. It means more New Zealanders will get the medicines they need and help keep them out of hospital. This means there will be less pressure on the health system and will result in savings for taxpayers.

“This cost-of-living measure will make a huge difference to some in our community who cannot afford the $5 charge for each of their prescription medicines and must make difficult choices when they are sick.

“This is also a big day for community pharmacy. Every day our members help thousands of New Zealanders, and they know how beneficial this will be for them.”

Guild President, Des Bailey says, “We are delighted the government has removed the charge. We have been strongly advocating for this change for several years because we know what a difference this will make to the health of New Zealanders and the wider health system. We are pleased to see this hard work result in positive change.”

An "inhumane" government prescription fee contributes to serious health issues including stroke, heart attack, sight loss, failed kidneys, breathing problems, mental health crises, and amputations, according to a new survey of 150 community pharmacists around New Zealand.

Pharmacists reported the "patient co-payment" fee - usually $5 per item up to $100 per year per family, for people aged 14 and over - also contributes to uncontrolled cellulitis, asthma and eczema, including for teenagers.

"The government prescription fee is causing widespread distress in our communities, and it needs to be removed immediately," says Vicky Chan of the Prescription Access Initiative, a group of pharmacists who co-organised the survey in March. "It is outrageous the government is imposing a preventable and heavy burden on people’s wellbeing, and on the health system."

The report mentions patients who underwent amputation due to diabetes complications after they didn’t pick up insulin prescriptions due to cost: one "was a sole earner for the family and he has lost his foot and has lost his job."

"Our survey gives insight into how the government fee prevents access to healthcare, even for people who have gone to their doctor for help," says Chan. "The system is letting them down."

Recent University of Otago research has already separately shown the prescription fee significantly increases the number of people who are admitted to hospital every year.

The new community pharmacist survey also indicates that prescription fees may contribute to family stress, including abuse and violence; can make patients feel ashamed and whakamā; and necessitates impossible choices.

"In one case I have heard a parent say to their child, ‘It’s either medicine or food, we can't afford both’," reported one pharmacist.

Pharmacists surveyed called the fee "inhumane" leading to "soul destroying" consequences. Mental health patients are among those prevented by the fee from accessing medicines. "Since with each [untreated] episode of schizophrenia, the impact of the illness gets progressively worse, it was heartbreaking to watch," reported one pharmacist. Organ transplant patients and patients with infections are also affected: "A young man [was] unable to pay for his flucloxacillin prescription. He ended up in hospital on iv antibiotics for a few days," reported another.

Pharmacists reported the fee made patient interactions more difficult - which can lead to worse health outcomes - even with those patients who found the fee affordable. "We want to advise on health but instead we’re discussing costs with everyone," says Chan. "Removing the fee would be a really useful response to the cost-of-living crisis."

Community pharmacies assist where they can, but fiscal management takes time and resources away from healthcare, says Chan. "Writing off tens of thousands of dollars in patient debt every year - which some of our community pharmacies do - is unsustainable and puts pharmacy services at risk."

However, in areas where the government temporarily removed prescription fee after Cyclone Gabrielle, pharmacists reported the waiver had immediate community health benefits. "Without the fee, their patients were happier, less stressed and more engaged, and everybody picked up all their prescriptions," says Chan. "These on-the-ground, immediate, real-time effects give us hope. They show our vision of a more equitable and effective health system due to fees-free prescriptions is well within reach.

"Removing the patient co-payment prescription fee for everyone is the easy thing to do and the right thing to do for community wellbeing and to ease the burden on our over-stretched health system."
 

At Internet Pharmacy they strive to make sure their online customers experience the personal touch that Peter Boles Pharmacy has become known for, and their customers have access to friendly, trustworthy medical advice via email or telephone where they aim to answer all queries within the same day that they are received during business hours. The service is supervised by fully qualified pharmacists who are available to discuss symptoms and issues about medical problems in a confidential environment, and oversee all medicinal purchases.

To make things even easier for their customers, Internet Pharmacy have a website page for frequently asked questions, some of which are reproduced below.

Q. “What is the easiest way to find the items I am looking for?”

A. “There are three ways of searching for an item on the website. First, use the search engine widget located at the top of the page. You can use the brand name as the keyword plus the item name. Try not to be too specific as that could narrow down your choices too much. Second, you could use the menu bar. If you're unsure of the item name, then this might be the better option because the products are all sorted according to Brand, Product Type, and/or Product Use. Lastly, if you’re looking for a medicine for a particular problem, use the left hand “Symptoms” menu. There is also a shop-by-brand dropdown option so you could easily go through each brand’s various products. If you’re having difficulties, then Contact Us and we’ll assist you right away.”

Q. “Can I send my prescriptions to Internet Pharmacy? If so, what is the process?”

A. Internet Pharmacy does not currently accept prescriptions via the website. If you would like to have a prescription filled please contact us by phone and we can arrange this for you.”

Q. “Are all Internet Pharmacy products less expensive than elsewhere?”

A. “With our online business model, we make sure that our products are sold at the lowest possible price. Nothing makes us happier than letting you shop with us in full confidence that you are buying every product at its best price.”

Q. “How do I pay for my products?”

A. “You can pay via Credit Card (VISA) or by bank deposit. Please note that if you choose to pay via bank deposit your items may take longer to reach you as we only dispatch once payment shows in our account. Credit card payments are made in real time and are therefore able to be dispatched more quickly.”

For more information please go to http://www.internetpharmacy.co.nz .

Internet Pharmacy is a leading online New Zealand pharmacy, providing health and beauty products and over the counter chemist products online at the lowest prices, offering a service to people unable to leave their homes or who are too busy to shop in a retail outlet. Internet Pharmacy make it so easy for people to shop from the comfort of their own home and have a helpful page on their website to assist people to do so.

There are three ways of searching for an item on the website. First, use the search engine widget located at the top of the page and use the brand name as the keyword plus the item name. People should try not to be too specific as that could narrow down their choices too much. Secondly, they could use the menu bar. If they’re unsure of the item name, then this might be the better option because the products are all sorted according to Brand, Product Type, and/or Product Use. Lastly, for those who are looking for a medicine for a particular problem, use the left hand “Symptoms” menu. There is also a shop-by-brand dropdown option so it is easy to go through each brand’s various products. For anyone having difficulties, they should go to the ‘Contact Us’ page and the friendly team at Internet Pharmacy will assist them right away.

With their online business model, Internet Pharmacy make sure that their products are sold at the lowest possible price. Nothing makes them happier than their customers shopping with them in full confidence that they are buying every product at its best price. Online shoppers can pay via Credit Card VISA  or MasterCard or by bank deposit. Please note that for those choosing to pay via bank deposit their items may take longer to reach them as Internet Pharmacy only dispatch once payment shows in their account. Credit card payments are made in real time and are therefore able to be dispatched more quickly.

Understandably, some people are concerned when buying items over the internet using their credit cards. Internet Pharmacy uses DPS to process their credit card payments as they have a highly-secure credit card management system. Credit card information such as your credit card number and PIN will not be stored by Internet Pharmacy.

For further information on ordering from the Internet Pharmacy, please visit their website at http://www.internetpharmacy.co.nz .

Even in 2015 the subject of male fertility may be a delicate one, which is why it is helpful to be able to access sexual herbal supplements online, rather than having to ask for them in a retail environment. A big advantage of using the services of Internet Pharmacy is that people have access to friendly, trustworthy medical advice via email or telephone. This is a brilliant service and means that people can talk to fully qualified pharmacists  who are available to discuss symptoms and issues about medical problems in the confidential environment of their home or office, without needing to discuss these matters in front of other customers in a retail pharmacy situation.

To this end, it is helpful to know that Internet Pharmacy stock Menevit Capsules which are specially designed for the maintenance of sperm health to improve male fertility. Menevit Capsules support healthy male fertility because men are just as important in fertility as women. Due to sperm having a very demanding role to play in fertilisation, the health of the sperm is very significant. Sperm health is also imperative for making a healthy baby. Menevit is specially designed to help by including Vitamin C which helps to protect the sperm from free radicals,  Zinc which supports sperm count and is needed for DNA development,  Vitamin E which helps improve sperms’ swimming and helps sperm fuse with the egg and helps protect from free radicals. It also includes  Folic Acid which supports and maintains the production of normal sperm,  Lycopene which helps to increase the number of normal sperm and improve swimming and shape,  Garlic Oil which may reduce inflammation and Selenium which supports development of sperm and protects from free radicals.

Menevit Capsules Dosage: Take ONE capsule  DAILY with FOOD. If possible, take for at least THREE months BEFORE planned conception and then continue taking while actively trying for pregnancy.
Menevit Capsules Precautions: Keep Menevit Capsules out of reach of children. Do NOT take Menevit Capsules if you have a known allergy to any of the ingredients listed. Do NOT exceed the recommended dose. Do NOT take if on Warfarin therapy.

For more information please go to http://www.internetpharmacy.co.nz  .

In a New Zealand first, the internationally renowned healthcare distributor EBOS Healthcare has partnered with the practitioner-only therapeutic supplements brand BioCeuticals, testament to the evidence and efficacy supporting the products. 

BioCeuticals is pleased to announce this week, EBOS Healthcare will be the official distributor of BioCeuticals and IsoWhey products in New Zealand.

As Australia’s leading provider of professional nutritional and therapeutic supplements, the inaugural joint distributorship will provide better health and business outcomes for healthcare practitioners such as naturopaths, health food stores, and pharmacists in New Zealand.

BioCeuticals managing director, Kerry Cunningham is enthusiastic about the company’s joint distributorship with EBOS Healthcare.

“The decision to partner with EBOS Healthcare was a natural one. In recent years we’ve been actively building our presence in New Zealand, with the aim to develop BioCeuticals as a powerful force in ensuring evidence-based complementary medicines become an integral part of the healthcare industry in New Zealand”.

“EBOS Healthcare understands the BioCeuticals culture and commitment to quality, innovation, research and customer service. As leaders in the delivery of medical, surgical and retail healthcare market, EBOS Healthcare has an outstanding track record in the healthcare industry and adding BioCeuticals to their range of product offering is a natural extension. We share a common desire to bring the highest quality health and medical products to market,” Cunningham says.

Established in 1922, EBOS Healthcare today distributes the latest life-saving intensive care equipment, consumer products on pharmacy shelves and now leading practitioner-only nutritional and therapeutic supplements.

BioCeuticals is renowned for manufacturing and delivering high quality integrative medicines.
The new national distribution networks will be supported by dedicated sales teams located both on the north and south islands of New Zealand.

“Healthcare practitioners such as naturopaths and pharmacists have an important role in advising patients and recommending evidence-based complementary medicines.

“We will now be able to serve the business needs of healthcare practitioners, health food stores and pharmacists more efficiently, and work together.”

To create a smooth transition, practitioner clients will be able to continue regular ordering procedures through the BioCeuticals office until 17 June 2013.

Customer service calls will be redirected to EBOS Healthcare during the transition period.

For further information please call 0800 451 285.

ABOUT BIOCEUTICALS

BioCeuticals is Australia’s leading provider of practitioner-only nutritional and therapeutic supplements. BioCeuticals is at the forefront of evidence-based Integrative Medicine, being a proud sponsor of 16 key clinical trials in primary healthcare facilities. BioCeuticals is committed to helping educate healthcare professionals on research and its practical application for better outcomes for their patients.

Renowned for manufacturing and delivering premium quality integrative medicines to healthcare practitioners, BioCeuticals aims to consistently raise the standards of natural-based therapies.
For more information go to http://www.fit-bioceuticals.co.nz

The Ministry of Consumer Affairs (now part of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment) has discovered that some baby bottles being sold in New Zealand have inaccurate volume indicator markings on them.

The bottles tend to be unbranded and sold in low-cost or discount stores.

The Pharmacy Guild of New Zealand (the Guild) has worked with the Ministry of Health to offer a solution for caregivers who may be worried that their bottles could have incorrect markings.

Caregivers are advised to visit their local community pharmacy, where a pharmacist or other staff member will be able to check bottle volume markings using trade-standard measuring equipment, and mark a corrected volume where appropriate.

“Pharmacists are the health professional people see most often and are easily accessible within the community” said Guild Chief Executive, Lee Hohaia.

“This means pharmacists are ideally positioned to offer this service to caregivers, and at the same time, are able to give advice and support to those who may find they have bottles with inaccurate volume measurements”.

The Ministry of Health does not recommend that caregivers use kitchen measuring equipment to verify the markings on baby bottles since these are not accurate enough to measure the small amounts of fluid involved.

European standard EN14350 stipulates that the 100ml mark on baby bottles must be accurate to within 5%. Some New Zealand-sold bottles meet this standard, but they tend to be better known, more expensive brands.

Further public information is available on the Ministry of Health website: http://www.health.govt.nz/baby-bottle-markings
http://www.health.govt.nz/baby-bottle-markings-qaa
http://www.health.govt.nz/media-releases/baby-bottle-markings

ENDS
Media contact: Sarah Pritchard 04 802 8211
Notes:
• The Pharmacy Guild of New Zealand (Inc) is a national membership organisation representing community pharmacy owners. We provide leadership on all issues affecting the sector and we advocate for the business interests of community pharmacy.
• For additional information on the Guild and community pharmacy, please go to www.pgnz.org.nz.