Kids still missing out on effective penicillin for rheumatic fever

A report that Kiwi children are still receiving an inferior or painful treatment for rheumatic fever is disturbing, says National’s Associate Health spokeswoman (Pharmacare), Dr Jackie Blue.

Last year, a worldwide shortage of bicillin injection, the drug used to prevent rheumatic fever returning to attack vital organs, saw New Zealand children receiving either oral penicillin or powdered intramuscular penicillin.

Dr Blue says neither option is as good as bicillin.

“If oral medication is missed, the chance of the disease returning is increased.

“The intramuscular penicillin is painful because it is twice the volume of the bicillin injection. And because there is a tendency for the powder to clog in the needle, it means the children may have to have another injection.

“The good news is that the sole American supplier of bicillin is back in business.

“Australia was receiving stocks of bicillin in November last year but, incredibly, bicillin is a still waiting for registration in New Zealand.

“Registration could have been fast-tracked if the will was there. It happened with Herceptin and it could have happened with bicillin.

“Pharmac has said that it won’t consider funding bicillin until it has been registered.

“Once again it’s a waiting game at the expense of Kiwi children, and it’s just not good enough.”

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