The MyLifeMatters campaign says New Zealanders’ ability to get new and breakthrough medicines lags behind other OECD countries.<\/p>\n
The collective represents more than one million patients with cancers, rare disorders, diabetes, and other life-limiting conditions.<\/p>\n
Patient Voice Aotearoa chairperson Malcolm Mulholland said New Zealanders were “one diagnosis away” from having to move to Australia to access medicines that are publicly funded elsewhere in the OECD.<\/p>\n
“We are in a crisis and our politicians need to act,” he said.<\/p>\n
Mulholland said Pharmac needed urgent investment.<\/p>\n
“In April 2023, there were 1092 applications waiting for funding on Pharmac’s Options for Investment List, with many medicines languishing for an average wait time of 7.7 years and longer.”<\/p>\n
Representing Brain Tumour Support, Pauline was at the campaign launch in central Auckland on Monday morning.<\/p>\n
“In 2018 I was diagnosed with a surprise tumour and after the surgery I found the first three months, which is the acute treatment, brilliant.<\/p>\n
“However, after the three months you are left on your own.”<\/p>\n
She said although some medicine was funded for brain cancer, not all injuries were the same.<\/p>\n
“Each brain tumour, each head injury is different … they might have some similarities, but each one of us faces different cognitive challenges.<\/p>\n
“Funding is so important to make sure we all have a better quality of life, mostly after acute treatment.”<\/p>\n
“They [Pharmac] talk and say ‘hey, let’s do another research assessment’ and then [they] put it into a box. We need more action.”<\/p>\n
Crohn’s and Colitis New Zealand chief executive Belinda Brown said Pharmac should keep up with new medicine options becoming available overseas.<\/p>\n
“We’ve just had two new ones funded but they are now old technology, there’s new medicine coming all the time.<\/p>\n
“It’s important to keep patients out of hospital and given medications so there’s less burden on our health care system.”<\/p>\n
She said she would like to see Pharmac’s budget doubled.<\/p>\n