Bid for review of Pharmac

Pressure is mounting on the Government to review its drugbuying agency with several health advocacy groups throwing their weight behind a grassroots campaign.

The health select committee last week agreed to open a briefing on Pharmac funding and patient access to drugs after being asked by breast cancer fighters Wiki Mulholland and Terre Nicholson during a hearing into funding two medicines for advanced breast cancer.

The pair, along with Wiki’s husband Malcolm Mulholland, specifically wanted the organisation’s ‘‘long-standing systemic issues’’ investigated with an emphasis on why its budget was lower than comparable countries such as Australia and Britain.

‘‘[We want to know] why Pharmac are so slow in approving funding for new medicines; why they consistently demonstrate a history of poor behaviour regarding the funding of cancer medicines; and why such a long list of approved medicines for funding remain on the waiting list.’’ Their plight has struck a chord with a handful of organisations and individuals who have frequent dealings with Pharmac, including Breast Cancer Foundation NZ chief executive Evangelia Henderson.

‘‘The announcement that the committee has ‘opened a briefing’ on Pharmac funding and access to drugs falls well short of the needed inquiry. I’m worried we’ll end up talking for months, when these patients need urgent action to prolong their lives.’’

While Henderson said the committee had already ‘‘dashed hopes of a speedy and thorough inquiry’’, she commended the courage and persistence of Mulholland and Nicholson.

‘‘These women and supporters are amazing.

‘‘What they want –what we all want – is hardly unreasonable. their

‘‘We’re asking for New Zealand to have the same publicly funded medicines as other Western countries – and to have it now,’’ Henderson said.

In its 25-year history, Pharmac has never been reviewed.

However, new board chair Steve Maharey appeared open to improving the organisation’s timeliness and transparency during its annual review by the health select committee. ‘‘We can do a lot better,’’ he said.

New Zealand consistently ranks lowest out of 20 OECD countries when it comes to the funding of modern medicines; and from 2011 to 2017, the country funded the fewest modern medicines out of other comparative countries.

Breast Cancer Aotearoa Coalition chairperson Libby Burgess also supports an extensive Pharmac review. ‘‘History shows us that navel gazing by Pharmac and the ministry unsurprisingly leads them to the conclusion that everything is just fine. Meanwhile New Zealand patients are suffering and dying needlessly through lack of access to effective modern medicines.’’

Health Minister David Clark has dismissed any review of the agency but noted the committee could inquire into any topic.

‘‘We’re asking for ... the same publicly funded medicines as other Western countries.’’ Breast Cancer Foundation NZ chief executive Evangelia Henderson