Pharmac has today announced its decision to fund two new lung cancer medications, and one medication for cystic fibrosis, from next month.
Pembrolizumab, branded as Keytruda, and Atezolizumab, branded as Tecentrig, are used to treat people with locally advanced and metastatic non-small cell lung cancer who meet certain eligibility criteria.
The immunotherapy treatments will be funded from April 1.
"Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality in New Zealand, so we're really pleased with the outcome of having two new treatment options available," Pharmac operations director Lisa Williams said.
"We have been able to secure pembrolizumab as first-line treatment and Atezolizumab as second, or later line, treatment which will improve the quality of life significantly for people with advanced non-small cell lung cancer."
Williams said while the decision "will have a substantial impact on those affected and their whānau", New Zealand's drug-buying agency has "sought to reduce barriers to access while minimising the impact on the health and disability system".
"We are working with health and disability sector partners and with consumer groups to support the equitable implementation of this decision."
The Cancer Society's Lucy Elwood said the new treatments "will lead to massive improvements in cancer outcomes for lung cancer patients".
"I am also really pleased to see that Pharmac is including more patient, NGO and sector voices into their processes," she said.
The director of Keytruda supplier Merck Sharp & Dohme (New Zealand) Limited, Vanessa Gascoigne, said funded access to the treatment "is a major advance in the availability of cancer medicines within Aotearoa and is a step towards more equitable outcomes".
"Congratulations to Pharmac on prioritising this important disease area and to all those who have helped to raise awareness and address stigma around this disease," she said.
The general manager for pharmaceutical company Roche Products (New Zealand), Alex Muelhaupt, said it's hoped the treatments "will reduce the stigma associated with the disease, alleviating some of the less visible burden on patients".
Pharmac also confirmed its decision to fund elexacaftor with tezacaftor and ivacaftor, branded as Trikafta, for people with cystic fibrosis aged six years old and above and who meet certain eligibility criteria.
The treatment will be available from next month in what Williams called "a significant milestone".
"To have a medicine with this level of investment secured for our community is a big deal and we are grateful to everyone who has been a part of this process," she said.
"We acknowledge that this outcome today does not provide a new funded medicine for everyone within the cystic fibrosis community. Our work in this space does not stop at this decision."
Williams said consideration of wider access to Ivacaftor, branded as Kalydeco, is already underway, and Pharmac welcomes further funding applications from its supplier, Vertex.
She also acknowledged "the time that many people have put into advocating for those living with cystic fibrosis and to those who have shared their own very personal stories with us" during the consultation process in December.
"We have heard them all, and we know there will be a lot of people relieved to hear that we are funding Trikafta," she said.
Pharmac have made 39 funding decisions since July 1 last year, which covers 18 new treatments and wider access to 21 others.
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