Pharmac Asking For Feedback On A Funding Proposal To Change The Lives Of 18,000 New Zealanders With Type 1 Diabetes

Pharmac – Te Pātaka Whaioranga wants to hear what people think of a funding proposal for continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), insulin pumps, and insulin pump consumables.

“We’ve reached provisional agreements with suppliers to provide funded CGMs, insulin pumps, and insulin pump consumables for people with type 1 diabetes,” says Geraldine MacGibbon, Pharmac’s Director Pharmaceuticals.

“Today, we’ve published a consultation to find out what people think of these proposed products, and how best we roll them out to the community.”

Following the consultation and assessment of the feedback received, a proposal to fund CGMs, insulin pumps and insulin pump consumables will go to Pharmac’s Board for a decision.

If funding is approved, up to 18,000 people with type 1 diabetes would be eligible for funded access to CGMs from 1 July 2024.

MacGibbon says it’s important to note that the agreements Pharmac has reached with suppliers are provisional.

“It’ll be up to Pharmac’s Board to consider the proposal fully, including the feedback and input we’ve had from people with type 1 diabetes, consumer organisations and clinicians,” she says.

“This consultation brings us a step closer to being able to fund CGMs and the related products. We know that having these products would be life-changing for many people and we are making great progress in making them available.

“I know it’s hard to wait as we go through this final stage of the process, but we have to make sure we’re getting it right and that the equipment we fund would provide the best value and health outcomes.”

From 1 July 2024 we’re proposing:

• to fund a range of continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) for everyone with type 1 diabetes, which we expect to benefit up to 18,000 people.
• to fund one brand of insulin pump that could be paired with a funded CGM to create an automated insulin delivery system.
• to simplify the access criteria for insulin pumps.
• to increase the limit of funded packs of insulin pump consumables (including infusion sets, insulin cartridges and insulin reservoirs) to 19 packs per year (an increase from 13 currently).

From 1 October 2024 we’re proposing:

• to fund a second brand of insulin pump that could be paired with a funded CGM to create an automated insulin delivery system.
• to fund an additional CGM compatible with funded insulin pumps that can be used to create an automated insulin delivery system.
• to delist the MiniMed 770G insulin pump from the Pharmaceutical Schedule (more information below).

To find out more, including which CGMs, insulin pumps and insulin pump consumables, are being proposed for funding, go to Pharmac’s website:

Proposal to fund continuous glucose monitors, insulin pumps, and insulin pump consumables

.

MacGibbon encourages people with an interest in the proposal to provide feedback by emailing

consult@pharmac.govt.nz

by 4pm Friday 26 April.

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