· Keytruda (pembrolizumab) is proposed to be funded as
the first medicine in eligible people’s advanced non-small
cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treatment
· Tecentriq
(atezolizumab) is proposed to be funded as a second-line
treatment, subject to eligibility criteria for people with
advanced NSCLC
The Government welcomes news the
national drug-funding agency Pharmac plans to fund two
medicines to help New Zealanders with advanced non-small
cell lung cancer.
“People who are in need of these
medicines are now one step closer to accessing them, with
the news that Pharmac is consulting to fund Keytruda and
Tecentriq,” Health Minister Andrew Little
said.
“This is another example of how the
Government’s boost to the medicines budget is helping New
Zealanders”, says Health Minister Andrew
Little.
Locally advanced or metastatic advanced
non-small cell lung cancer (referred to as “advanced
NSCLC”) is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells
form in the tissues of the lung.
The majority of
people with lung cancer are diagnosed with advanced disease,
at the locally advanced or metastatic stage.
Lung
cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death in
Aotearoa New Zealand, and these treatments would provide
more options for those people with advanced
NSCLC.
“Health has always been a priority for Labour
governments. It is Pharmac, not politicians, who make the
decisions on what treatments to fund, but politicians decide
the amount of funding provided to Pharmac.” Andrew Little
said.
“The medicines budget was not adequately
funded by the previous Government. We’re now seeing the
outcomes of what happens when you invest in health, Andrew
Little said.
These decisions follow the Cancer Control
Agencies report earlier this year that identified gaps in
New Zealand’s availability of publically funded cancer
medicines. It’s good to see more equitable access to cancer
treatments being added to the schedule in New
Zealand.
This government’s investments in medicines
has also contributed to funding Durvalumab for stage 3
non-small cell lung cancer, Olaparib for high-grade ovarian
cancer, Trastuzumab emtansine for breast cancer, Gemtuzumab
ozogamicin for Acute Myeloid Leukaemia, Obinutuzumab for
relapsed or refractory follicular or marginal zone lymphoma,
Ibrutinib for relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic
leukaemia, Brentuximab vedotin for relapsed/refractory
Hodgkin and anaplastic large cell lymphoma, Vinorelbine
capsules for solid tumours (primarily breast and lung) since
July 2022
alone.
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