Government boosts cancer spending by $604 million over four years
Monday, 24 June 2024
The Government is boosting Pharmac funding by over $600m.
The funding will go towards 26 cancer treatments.
About 175,000 people will benefit from the extra treatments, the health minister says.
The National-led coalition Government says its $604 million boost to cancer medicines will fund up to 26 cancer treatments as part of an overall package of up to 54 more new medicines.
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti said about 175,000 people will benefit from the extra treatments in a year. The first medicines are expected to become available from October and November, with more phased in over next year.
“Today we are delivering on the therapies we promised and more, with an unprecedented and transformative investment in cancer and other treatments,' he said in a statement.
“Of the 13 cancer treatments listed in 2023, up to seven will be included in the package announced today, and the others will be replaced by alternatives just as good or better.
“This means that not only will treatments for all the cancer types in the pre-election manifesto list be covered, but also a number of other treatments, including for blood cancers and other tumours.
“We are also providing more new medicines for a range of other conditions to improve Kiwis’ health and life outcomes.
“This announcement will allow Pharmac to fund up to 26 cancer treatments and 28 other treatments. This will be a mix of new medicines and widened access to medicines that are already available.
“Our reason for this expansion is simple. Increasing access to vital medicines for Kiwis is the right thing to do. We thank each and every New Zealander who has shared their health journey - cancer related or otherwise - with our Government.
“Pharmac will receive a $604 million funding boost for medicines which is a pre-commitment against next year’s Budget. Further funding to deliver and administer the new treatments will available to Pharmac and Health New Zealand”.
David Seymour, the associate health minister said: “For many New Zealanders, funding for pharmaceuticals is life or death, or the difference between a life of pain and suffering or living freely. It was a priority for this Government to find the additional $1.8 billion to fix the fiscal cliff left by the previous government, and we’re now providing a $604 million uplift to Pharmac to ensure more Kiwis can access life-changing medicines.
“Expanding the package to reach around 175,000 people per year across a range of conditions in its first year is possible through the Pharmac model which gets the best value for New Zealanders, something that’s very important to me.
“This approach allows the Government and Pharmac to act on updated clinical advice, funding new and more effective treatments which have superseded previous options.'
The cancer treatments included in this package are:
Atezolizumab with bevacizumab for liver cancer
Axitinib for kidney cancer – second-line therapy
Cetuximab or panitumumab for bowel cancer – first-line therapy
Nivolumab for kidney cancer – second-line therapy
Osimertinib for lung cancer – first-line therapy
Osimertinib for lung cancer – second-line therapy
Pembrolizumab for bladder cancer
The cancer medicines will include treatments for:
Lung cancer
Liver cancer
Bowel cancer
Kidney cancer
Bladder cancer
Head and neck cancer
Melanoma
In total, Pharmac estimates the proposal will fund:
26 cancer treatments covering all cancer types originally listed plus other types not previously included (such as blood cancers);
up to seven of the original 13 cancer treatments proposed pre-election, with alternatives for the other treatments that are as or more effective than those originally listed;
28 other medicines that also add substantially to New Zealanders’ health and life outcomes, across a wide range of conditions which could include infections, respiratory conditions, osteoporosis, sexual health, dermatology, inflammatory conditions, and mental health.