Pharmac will fund access to five new or improved treatments from December 2025, including medicines for breast and lung cancer, multiple sclerosis, and serious eye conditions.
The new funding covers subcutaneous versions of Ocrevus and Phesgo, new medicines Vabysmo and Rozlytrek, and continued access to Avastin for eye conditions.
Associate Health Minister David Seymour said the move reflects a new culture at Pharmac that focuses on “patient convenience and efficiency”, noting the faster subcutaneous treatments could save up to 12,800 hospital infusion hours and $11 million over five years.
Health Minister Simeon Brown said the decision supports the government’s goal of faster access to cancer care, backed by a $604 million boost to Pharmac’s budget.
He said the changes will help more New Zealanders access life-extending treatments without delay, reducing pressure on public hospitals and easing the burden on families facing cancer.
Image credit: Ksenia Yakovleva
Yum. Bound to be good for us.
Just imagine what the 66B wasted on covid could have bought?
New Ferries for one thing
New Hospitals
Better health care
$66B wasn’t wasted. It was a wealth transfer scheme and worked extremely well for the beneficiaries. The alleged covid pandemic ( that wasn’t ) was just the means to their nefarious ends.
Cancer is, on average, five times more survivable in Australia vs New Zealand. Organ transplants take on average 2 years in Australia, whereas here, they are often simply not available. In spite of all the tax we pay.