More cancer drugs confirmed – even more on horizon

  • Hon Dr David Clark
Health

Confirmation that PHARMAC will fund two new cancer drugs is further evidence of the good progress the Government is making to improve the treatment of New Zealand’s leading cause of death, Health Minister David Clark says.

From 1 December PHARMAC will fund alectinib (Alecensa) for ALK positive advanced non-small cell lung cancer and trastuzumab emtansine (Kadcyla) for HER-2 positive metastatic breast cancer. A new treatment for multiple sclerosis, ocrelizumab (Ocrevus), is also being funded and access to respiratory disease treatment pirfenidone (Esbriet) is being widened.

“These new drugs will help around 420 people, including people living with advanced cancer,” David Clark said.

‘I’m advised these medicines will be paid for out of the $40 million extra that the Government invested in PHARMAC in the 2019 Budget (over four years). It is great to see that investment making a real difference in people’s lives.

“After years of underfunding by the previous government, we’ve made cancer care and control a major focus.

Key cancer care initiatives include:

“Medicines are critical, but are only one part of cancer care and control. Our plan is comprehensive and covers the full spectrum – from prevention and screening, to radiation treatment and palliative care. We’re also investing in our health workforce – with a record number of doctors and nurses in our DHBs.

“It will take time to modernise our approach to cancer care and control and improve survival rates, but today signifies good progress on the delivery of our plan,” David Clark said.