PHARMAC, DHBs welcome increased budget for 2006-07
An $18 million increase in pharmaceutical funding has been approved for the 2006-07 financial year.
Minister of Health Pete Hodgson has approved a $600 million pharmaceutical budget for the 2006-07 financial year,
following a joint recommendation from PHARMAC and District Health Boards. This continues the pattern of budget increases
over recent years.
PHARMAC manages pharmaceutical spending on behalf of DHBs. The budget-setting process involves discussions between
PHARMAC and DHBs, and a joint recommendation being taken to the Minister.
PHARMAC’s Acting Chief Executive Matthew Brougham says the Government’s commitment to increased pharmaceutical funding
will help PHARMAC to improve New Zealanders’ health through subsidised medicines.
“PHARMAC is focused on investing in medicines and some significant funding decisions have been made,” says Matthew
Brougham. “These include medicines such as temozolomide for brain tumours, adalimumab for rheumatoid arthritis and
entacapone for Parkinsons disease.”
“This commitment to additional funding for 2006-07 will mean that we will be able to manage the impact of those
decisions and continue to add new medicines to the subsidised list.”
Spokesman for the District Health Boards, Wairarapa DHB CEO David Meates, says new spending on pharmaceuticals benefits
patients across all DHBs. PHARMAC’s management of spending also assists DHBs in managing their overall budgets.
“We look forward to patients continuing to access new medicines, and to continued efficiencies being made on some older
medicines,” David Meates says.
PHARMAC will continue to invest in medicines that provide advancements over currently funded treatments, and those that
provide good value for money, says Matthew Brougham. Areas of focus are likely to be treatments for cancer, HIV and
diabetes. Already this financial year, PHARMAC has added a new long-acting insulin for diabetes, insulin glargine
(Lantus), and widened access to treatments for prostate cancer (goserelin) and asthma (long acting beta agonists such as
Oxis and Serevent).
Matthew Brougham and David Meates say PHARMAC and DHBs will continue to work together to ensure long-term decisions on
pharmaceutical funding can continue to be made.
ENDS