4 May 2020

Pharmac pulling Keytruda a blow to health equity in NZ - top oncologist

From Checkpoint, 5:41 pm on 4 May 2020

A leading oncologist says Pharmac's decision to backtrack on funding for the lung cancer drug Keytruda is a major blow for equality in the health system.

Laird Cameron, speaking on behalf of a group of lung cancer specialists, says everyday the medicine is not funded, life and death decisions are made which often come down to who can afford to privately fund the drug.

Last week RNZ In Depth and Checkpoint revealed Pharmac had withdrawn its RFP, where companies pitch their prices, saying it couldn't afford the drug with medicine costs rising as a result of Covid-19.

But now the company that makes Keytruda has come forward challenging Pharmac chief executive Sarah Fitt's claims about the effect Covid-19 will have on its budget.

Guyon Espiner has the story.