Access to medicines continues to improve

  • Jonathan Coleman
Health

Health Minister Jonathan Coleman says New Zealanders access to medicines continued to improve in 2014/15.

“Pharmac estimates that 3.5 million New Zealanders received a funded medicine in 2014/15 - 100,000 more than the previous year,” says Dr Coleman.

“An estimated 70,000 New Zealanders benefited during the year from 41 new and widened access medicines.

“Pharmac is continuing its good track record on controlling pharmaceutical costs while increasing subsidised medicines and treatments for more New Zealanders.”

Pharmac completed its largest and most complex commercial arrangement during 2014/15, in agreements covering 18 products from two suppliers.

The agreements, with Novartis and Biogen, listed 10 new medicines, including new treatments for dementia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, multiple sclerosis, chronic myeloid leukaemia and a type of brain tumour. The agreements are estimated to benefit up to 12,000 New Zealanders. 

Pharmac’s spending for 2014/15 was managed on-budget at $795 million.

The Government has increased Pharmac’s budget for 2015/16 to a record $800 million. Pharmac’s spending has increased by nearly $150 million since 2008.

Notes:

Pharmac made a number of significant new investments in 2014/15 including:

  • Abiraterone – a new treatment for advanced prostate cancer. Estimated full-year investment of $14.9 million before rebates.
  • Azacitidine – to treat the blood disorders known as myelodysplastic syndromes. Estimated full year spending of $13 million before rebates.
  • Fingolimod and natalizumab – two new-generation treatments for multiple sclerosis. Pharmac changed the access criteria for multiple sclerosis treatments so they can be given earlier in the disease. Estimated full year spend of $15.6 million before rebates.
  • Lenalidomide – for the blood disorder multiple myeloma. Estimated $5.8 million of gross spending in first full year.
  • Nilotinib – further treatment for chronic myeloid leukaemia. Full year spend of $2.2 million before rebates.
  • Varicella vaccine – for immune compromised people and some household contacts.
  • Rotavirus vaccine – to protect children from the debilitating gastric virus rotavirus. Estimated full-year gross cost of $5.6 million.