File image. Photo: 123rf
Pharmac is looking to boost access to five more drugs to treat cancers and other conditions as it continues to spend its beefed-up budget.
The drug-funding agency has just started two-weeks' public consultation on its proposal to fund lanreotide acetate for the first time for people with neuroendocrine cancer, cancer-related bowel obstruction, and growth disorder acromegaly.
Director of pharmaceuticals Geraldine MacGibbon said lanreotide was easier to administer than other funded treatments.
The agency was also planning to widen eligibility criteria for four other medicines to treat cancers of the blood, kidney and lung, she said.
"We're looking to widen access to chemotherapy and a type of targeted cancer treatment for people who don't currently have any other treatment options available."
The proposal includes:
- funding lanreotide acetate for various health conditions (including a type of cancer)
- widening access to sunitinib, a targeted cancer medicine, for renal cell carcinoma (kidney cancer)
- updating the eligibility criteria for pazopanib, a targeted cancer medicine, for people who cannot tolerate sunitinib
- widening access to bendamustine, a chemotherapy, for relapsed or recurrent chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (blood cancer)
- removing the prescription restrictions on pemetrexed, a chemotherapy, so it could be used for any condition.
Consultation on Pharmac's funding proposal for these medicines is now open and will close at 9am on 29 July.
If approved, changes for bendamustine and pemetrexed would take effect from 1 November 2024. The dates for availability of lanreotide and changes to eligibility for sunitinib and pazopanib is still to be confirmed.
Last month, the government pledged an extra $600 million Pharmac funding over the next four years.
That followed widespread criticism of its failure to deliver National's pre-election promise to fund more cancer treatments.
Not including the most recent cash injection, Pharmac's budget for medicines was set at $1.186 billion this year, and $1.245b next year.