A wider range of treatments have been made available to 30,000 New Zealanders as Pharmac increased the medication it continues to fund, the drug-buying agency announced today.
This comes after public consultation, Dr David Hughes, director advice and assessment/chief medical officer said, and will cover treatments for ovarian cancer, lung disease, HIV, for those with a rare condition affecting blood vessels and for those at a high risk of getting shingles.
It comes after a "bundle agreement" with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) was finalised.
"By finding savings on some medicines, we can support the funding of others, to make funded treatment options available to more people," Hughes said.
"These medicines are going to make a big difference to people’s lives."
The majority of these medications will be available from May 1.
Ovarian Cancer Foundation founder Jane Ludemann said this change will be "life-changing" for those with ovarian cancer "to have access to a modern medicine."
"Our community has told us having this treatment available will give them more time to spend with their whānau and help them know they’ve tried everything they can to be around to make more memories. As ovarian cancer is the least survivable women's cancer, this is a significant step forward"
Asthma and Respiratory Foundation medical director Dr James Fingleton said the accessibility of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) medication will "positively impact equitable outcomes for the community."
"We want to see people with severe COPD have a treatment option that will provide them the most benefit. Having this triple-therapy available will help people to deal with their symptoms. We’re really pleased Pharmac listened to our feedback and have made appropriate changes enabling our prescribers to give this treatment as needed."
What medications are now funded and who will this help?
For those with ovarian cancer, niraparib (branded as Zejula), a maintenance treatment, will be provided to 110 people in the first year of funding. This will be funded from May 1, 2024.
Individuals with COPD, the first single inhaler triple-therapy will be provided to around 15,000 people in the first year of funding. Pharmac says for most people, "this will mean switching from using two or three separate inhalers to using just one." This will be funded from May 1, 2024.
For those living with HIV, the anti-viral medication dolutegravir with lamivudine (branded as Dovato) will be made available from from May 1, 2024. Pharmac believe around 900 people who switch tho this medication in the first year of funding.
A larger range of people with the rare blood vessel condition relapsed or refractory eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA), will be able to access the medication mepolizumab (branded as Nucala), which will be made available from May 1 2024.
The shingles vaccine will also be easier for some immunocompromised people and those at a higher risk of contracting the virus to obtain. Pharmac believe this will affect 15,000 people within the first two years of funding, alongside those over the age of 65 who can access the vaccine. This will be made available from July 1 2024.
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