Pharmac has swapped funding from nepafenac (Ilvero) to diclofenac sodium (Devatis) eye drops. Ilevro nepafenac drops were a temporary replacement for Voltaren Ophtha, for which there were supply gaps between December 2024 and February 2025, said Pharmac. “(Ilevro) stock is running low and will be delisted 1 July 2025.” 

Diclofenac is the same as Voltaren, said Associate Professor James McKelvie. “The main benefit of nepafenac is the once-daily dosing as opposed to the four times a day required for diclofenac. It also stings less, which is a small added bonus.”

In October 2024, the funding of Ilevro was welcomed by some of the country’s eyecare professionals, including Jagrut Lallu, co-owner of Rose Optometry in Hamilton, who described Ilevro’s funding as a “dream come true” since Voltaren drops “really sting”.

Currently, however, there are no plans to relist nepafenac on the schedule, despite ophthalmologists telling Pharmac they would like to see it funded permanently, said Pharmac’s director, pharmaceuticals, Geraldine MacGibbon. “Our team is exploring whether this would be possible. As nepafenac is a different medicine to diclofenac, we need to assess whether it would support improved health outcomes for New Zealanders.”

A new step in Pharmac’s approval process involves asking for feedback on potential brand changes from people who take these medicines and those who support them, she said. “We want to know what the impact of a potential brand change would be and what support people would need to change a brand of medicine.”