Pharmac on notice as cancer patient advocates welcome incredible medicines spend [Video]

Advocates of cancer patients say Pharmac is now “on notice” to deliver the 26 Government-funded cancer treatments in a timely fashion in light of the public uproar caused when the Government’s cancer policy was delayed. 

The challenge comes amid widespread celebration of the Government’s promise to spend more than $642 million over four years to purchase and deliver 26 cancer treatments alongside 28 non-cancer-related medicines, estimated to help 175,000 people in the first year. 

It has come after weeks of uncertainty and anguish from patients and advocacy organisations after National’s promise to fund 13 specific cancer drugs was absent from this year’s Budget. 

“The idea that 175,000 Kiwis will benefit can only be good news,” Patient Voice Aotearoa chairman Malcolm Mulholland said. 

Breast Cancer Foundation chief executive Ah-Leen Rayner welcomed the funding as “simply incredible”, noting Health Minister Dr Shane Reti’s commitment that some of the medicines would address breast cancer. 

Both Mulholland and Rayner said the matter was now with Pharmac. Mulholland said some patients would feel cautious, …