Kiwis waiting up to 8 years for key medicines

Kiwis waiting up to 8 years for key medicines

A study* published today in the New Zealand Medical Journal shows that New Zealand has a ‘waiting list’ of new medicines that have been recommended for funding but are not yet funded by PHARMAC.

Some of the 29 medicines have been on the waiting list for up to 8 years, and the average waiting period is almost 3 years. The study covers the time period from 2006-2014.

The medicines include treatments for diabetes, metastatic breast cancer and rheumatoid arthritis, and have been recommended for funding by PHARMAC’s Pharmacology and Therapeutics Advisory Committee (PTAC).

When medicines are recommended by PTAC, they have already been assessed as being cost effective treatments for specified conditions.

“So it would be expected that high priority medicines would be funded sooner by PHARMAC” said Dr Graeme Jarvis, Medicines New Zealand’s General Manager.

“Sadly, it is New Zealanders needing access to these medicines who are missing out” Dr Jarvis added.

Medicines New Zealand will continue to monitor the “waiting list” of new medicines and report on it regularly.

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