The government drug-funding agency said the "bundle agreement" had allowed it to find savings on some medicines to support the funding of others. Photo:
About 30,000 New Zealanders with ovarian cancer, lung disease, HIV and other conditions will now get access to new medicines under a deal between Pharmac and pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline.
The government drug-funding agency said the "bundle agreement" had allowed it to find savings on some medicines to support the funding of others.
Chief medical officer Dr David Hughes said the decision followed public consultation and covered treatments for ovarian cancer, lung disease, HIV, a rare condition affecting blood vessels and for people at high risk of getting shingles.
"These medicines are going to make a big difference to people's lives."
Ovarian Cancer Foundation founder Jane Ludeman said says niraparib would be "life-changing" for about 110 women with high-grade serous cancer in the first year.
"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."
Pharmac was still considering extending access to the drug to women with high-grade serous endometrioid cancer.
About 15,000 people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) will be able to switch from using multiple inhalers to the first single inhaler triple-therapy from 1 May, branded as Trelegy Ellipta.
Asthma and Respiratory Foundation medical director,Dr James Fingleton said it would lead to "more equitable outcomes" for patients.
"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."
The decision included:
- maintenance treatment for ovarian cancer, niraparib (branded as Zejula), from 1 May 2024, which will benefit 110 people in the first year of funding
- funding the first single inhaler triple-therapy from 1 May 2024.
- funding a treatment for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), dolutegravir with lamivudine (branded as Dovato), from 1 May 2024 - about 900 people are expected to switch from their current treatment to this in the first year of funding
- widening access to mepolizumab (branded as Nucala) for vasculitis from 1 May 2024
- widening access to the shingles vaccine for some people who are immunocompromised and at high risk of getting shingles from 1 July 2024 - this will affect 15,000 people in the first two years of funding, in addition to people who are 65 years or older who can access the vaccine.
