Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora has backed down on a plan to delay free access to a life-extending cancer drug after a backlash by patients and advocates.
Chief clinical officer Richard Sullivan said today that Health New Zealand would allow a small group of cancer patients to get early access to the medication Keytruda before Pharmac begins funding it later this year.
The Government is set to fund pembrolizumab, or Keytruda, for five more cancers: head and neck, triple negative breast cancer, colorectal cancer, bladder cancer and Hodgkin lymphoma – which can cost around $100,000 when unfunded.
Pharmac funding for the five extra types of patients was due to start in October, but drug company Merck Sharp and Dohme New Zealand has been working on an early access programme (EAP) so eligible patients can be referred by doctors to receive the medicine for free before then.
Health New Zealand had previously said it would not provide the treatment earlier as it would not be appropriate when wait lists are being assembled based on clinical need.