Age Concern seeks better access to medicines

Media Release

Age Concern seeks better access to medicines for chronic diseases

Age Concern agrees that it should be easier for those people with chronic health conditions to navigate thehealth system and access services as recommended this week by theNational Health Committee.

Spokesperson, CEO Ann Martin, said that older people face considerable difficulties at themultiple interfaces with thehealth system.

“And if that isn’t enough, older people, like therest of New Zealanders are unable to access particular medicines that are available in other countries, like Australiamainly because of thecost of these.  Whilst medicines might be approved for use in New Zealand, thelack of subsidisation by PHARMAC reduces their take up and possibly also their import into this country.”

“If thesame medicines were available and accessed here in New Zealandthere could be a marked reduction in hospitalisations, and therefore less pressure on thehealth system from thechronically ill,” she said.

“For example, PHARMAC does not subsidise any medicines for Alzheimer’s, unlike most other developed nations.  Yet we are told that 18,000 patients could benefit from medicines like Exelon, Aricept and Reminyl. 

“These treatments delay theprogression of dementia, which would clearly save on home care and nursing costs.  These medicines would cost around $2,200 a year – which is far less than thecost of one month of institutional care,” Ann Martin explained.

“PHARMAC questions whether these medicines work, yet we wonder why other countries are providing them to those who are seen to benefit from them,” she said.

“There are modern medicines funded in most developed countries that are either not available or, where they are, access is so restricted or costly that hardly anyone gets thebenefit from them.

“The list includes Gemzar for bladder cancer, Lantus for diabetes, Plavix which reduces risk of heart disease and stroke and evista for osteoporosis.

“Older people tend to have more chronic conditions than younger ones, and therefore need assistance to navigate thehealth system and its services. 

“Better access to modern medicines would be a major step towards achieving this goal,” she said.

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