Our experienced team has a complete understanding of the changing regulatory environment and legal issues faced by the New Zealand health sector.
Bell Gully is the principal legal services provider to PHARMAC, the Government agency set up to manage public expenditure on pharmaceuticals, and we advise on many aspects of its work. We have particular strengths in health funding and procurement, as well as the medicines system. We have completed significant procurement project work for several District Health Boards (DHBs) and other public sector health procurement agencies who procure on behalf of some or all DHBs.
The team assists our clients with service provision contracts, trade practice issues under the Commerce Act and other legislation, compliance programmes, medical issues, pharmaceutical concerns and privacy obligations under the Health Information Privacy Code. We also advise on financing, taxation, employment, reorganisation, asset transactions and joint ventures in the health sector.
We advise Crown entities on their contracting with health providers, including primary health organisations, general practitioners (GPs), community laboratories, pharmacists and pharmaceutical companies, disability support services, and Māori service providers.
We have been involved in advising on key regulatory aspects of New Zealand's health system including developing and drafting sections of the New Zealand Public Health and Disability Act and advising on Human Rights Act implications of decision criteria for rationing health funding.
We advise private sector clients on how medicines regulation applies to them. This includes licensing, clinical trials, medicine and medical device approvals required by Medsafe, and medicine advertising requirements.