Pharmac says funding for a new painkiller will help fill the gap left by the withdrawal of similar treatments.
Tramadol 50-milligram capsules will be funded by Pharmac from Tuesday.
The government drug-buying agency's medical director, Dr Peter Moodie, says the drug seems less likely to cause the side-effect of constipation associated with drugs like codeine and morphine.
He says it will also fill the gap being left by the international withdrawal of products containing dextropropoxyphene, such as Paradex and Capadex, in August.
Dr Moodie says Tramadol is cheaper than some comparable painkillers; its introduction is reckoned likely to save $240,000 over three years.
