Anti-cancer drugs Photo: AFP
Pharmac is looking at how long medicines should stay on its options list waiting for funding. There are over 120 drugs currently being considered, a number of them are listed multiple times for different treatments - and many have been there for a number of years.
Now Pharmac wants to be able to trim applications that have remained in the lowest-ranked group for more than two years.
It is proposing to decline 20% of those on the list if it contains over a hundred medicines and 10% if the number is lower.
Pharmac says it will provide greater clarity for patients, by letting them know if drugs are still on the list for possible funding or not.
The changes are still being consulted on, but long-term patient advocate and chair of Pharmac's Consumer and Patient Working Group, Malcolm Mulholland, has expressed concern about the funding of treatments that have been available as best practice treatment in Australia and the UK for years.
Kathryn speaks to Pharmac's Director Pharmaceuticals, Adrienne Martin and Malcolm Mulholland.
