6th December 2007: Media statement
More New Zealanders Going Blind than Previously Thought Because of Lack of Access to New Treatments
Thousands more New Zealanders will go blind unnecessarily, than previously thought, because they cannot get access to a
newly developed treatment, which is funded in other developed countries, according to a world expert on age-related
macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of blindness.
Speaking in Perth, Western Australia at the annual conference of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of
Ophthalmologists (RANZCO) last week, Professor Paul Mitchell explained that previous estimates on how many New
Zealanders suffered from AMD were too low.
Professor Mitchell, Head of the Ophthalmology Department at the University of Sydney, Director of the Eye Centre at
Westmead Hospital and a world expert in the epidemiology of Macular Degeneration said his calculations show: `There are
already 16,500 patients with neovascular AMD in New Zealand. Conservatively, I estimate that another 3,000 New
Zealanders will develop NV AMD every year, that’s eight every day of the year. Two thirds of them will go blind in that
eye within 12 months and it is a highly symmetrical disease and a lot of people do get it in the second eye within a
year. This can be treated by Lucentis, which is extraordinarily effective and has been well proven to be a solid,
evidence-based medicine.’
In the first two months of funding by Australia’s pharmaceutical benefits scheme more than three thousand patients were
treated with the eye-sight saving medicine, but New Zealand eye specialists attending the meeting were told that it was
unlikely Pharmac would fund Lucentis here.
Professor Mitchell said `Every year we could save 2,000 New Zealanders from blindness. It’s a huge number with a huge
cost because visual impairment leads to a whole range of events such as falls, hip fractures which are very costly. Then
there is increased use of support services and the big thing is the need to go into a nursing home for care much earlier
than otherwise would be the case.’
The launch of a new class of drugs to treat AMD is a major step forward in treatment of the disease, according to
RANZCO. Lucentis has been available on private prescription in New Zealand since 21st July 2007, but Pharmac has turned
it down for government subsidy claiming that it is up to each District Health Board to arrange provision locally.
According to RANZCO spokesman Associate Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at Auckland University Philip Polkinghorne:
`Before the introduction of these new drugs we believed that once vision has been damaged, it couldn’t be restored. But
research has shown that visual acuity can actually be significantly improved with Lucentis (ranibizumab) in around
25-40% of patients studied, and across all lesion types of wet AMD.’
AMD is a degenerative eye disease that affects the macula – the central part of the retina at the back of the eye that
is responsible for the “straight ahead” central vision necessary for everyday activities like reading, driving, colour
perception, telling time or identifying faces. The majority of wet AMD patients experience severe vision loss within two
years of diagnosis. Until now there has been little public education about Wet AMD because very little could be done to
manage the condition. The social costs of this cause of blindness are very high.
Professor Polkinghorne explained that: `These medicines are now available in the UK, Australia and the USA and New
Zealand ophthalmologists are keen to treat their patients with these agents. Because of the media and the internet,
patients are becoming increasingly aware of the new therapies. But the cost and resource implications of introducing
these new therapies will be significant and we cannot expect New Zealanders to have to pay for the treatment out of
their own pockets. AMD is predominantly a disease of patients aged over 65 years – and these drugs may need to be given
for several years. Due to our ageing population, the cost of treating this condition is very likely to mushroom in the
next decades.’
Professor Paul Mitchell (National Research Advisor) – MBBS, MD, PhD, FRANZCO, FROphth, FAFPHM
Professor Paul Mitchell is a leading retinal ophthalmologist and international speaker on Macular Degeneration.
Professor Mitchell is Head of the Ophthalmology Department at the University of Sydney, Director of the Eye Centre at
Westmead Hospital and a world expert in the epidemiology of Macular Degeneration. He conducted the world renowned Blue
Mountains Eye Studies which provided unique information about the incidence of the disease in an Australian population,
including proving the link between smoking and Macular Degeneration. Professor Mitchell is the MD Foundation's National
Research Advisor and provides information on relevant statistics relating to Macular Degeneration.
About Lucentis®
Lucentis® (ranibizumab) has been shown in clinical trials to maintain and improve vision and vision-related quality of
life in people suffering from neovascular, or “wet,” age-related macular degeneration (AMD). A therapeutic antibody
fragment designed specifically for treating conditions of the eye, Lucentis blocks all known biologically active forms
of vascular endothelial cell growth factor A (VEGF-A), the molecule believed to be a major underlying cause of wet AMD.
Lucentis was developed by Genentech and Novartis Pharma AG. Genentech has the commercial rights to Lucentis in the
United States, while Novartis Pharma AG has exclusive rights in the rest of the world.
About The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists (RANZCO)
RANZCO is the professional body representing more than 850 ophthalmologists (medical eye specialists) in Australia and
New Zealand. The College provides a range of services to improve the standard of eye care in Australia and New Zealand,
and promotes scientific research and the training and education of ophthalmologists.
ENDS