More people with rare conditions may get drugs that are not usually publicly funded under a review of how government drug agency Pharmac makes those decisions. Health Minister Tony Ryall said Pharmac-administered "exceptional circumstances" sche
More people with rare conditions may get drugs that are not usually publicly funded under a review of how government drug agency Pharmac makes those decisions.
Health Minister Tony Ryall said Pharmac-administered "exceptional circumstances" schemes would be reviewed to provide better access to medicines not funded through the pharmaceutical schedule.
Exceptional circumstances schemes allow people whose health needs are not met through the usual medicines funding to get the drugs they need. These can include people with rare conditions or for whom standard treatments are unsuitable.
The three schemes (community, hospital and cancer exceptional circumstances), got more than 3000 applications each year.
"The government is determined to see New Zealanders get better access to medicines, and I will be interested to see the feedback from consumers, as well as the health and pharmaceutical sectors," Mr Ryall said.
At the moment under the community scheme is a requirement that a condition must have 10 or fewer people affected in New Zealand.
Associate Health Minister Peter Dunne said the review would look at such "arbitrary barriers" and what would be better criteria.
The review was the key recommendation of the High Cost Highly Specialised Medicines Review panel, and is part of the New Zealand Medicines Strategy, he said.
