Pharmac Proposes To Fully Fund Nutrition Replacements For Some People With Crohn’s Disease

Pharmac is proposing to fully fund two liquid nutrition replacements for adults with Crohn’s disease who use them as their only source of nutrition.

Crohn’s is a type of inflammatory bowel disease. Some people with Crohn’s disease may use liquid nutrition replacements as their exclusive, full diet for a period of 4–12 weeks.

The goal of this exclusive liquid nutrition diet is to rest the gut, to reduce inflammation and promote healing. This also may help manage symptoms and reduce the likelihood of needing surgery.

The nutrition replacements in this proposal are Ensure Plus and Fortisip (200ml, 1.5kcal/ml). They are currently partly or fully funded for some health conditions in the community.

A different fully funded nutrition replacement was previously available for people using it exclusively, but the supplier has stopped making it.

Adrienne Martin, Pharmac’s Manager Pharmaceutical Funding says, “we’ve received advice from clinicians treating people with Crohn’s disease that Ensure Plus and Fortisip are suitable alternatives, but they’re only partly funded for some people with Crohn’s disease.”

Pharmac wants to remove this additional cost on Ensure Plus and Fortisip so people with Crohn’s disease, who use them as their only source of nutrition, can continue to access and benefit from nutrition replacements.

"Our role is to help people access the medicines and related products they need to improve their health. We estimate around 200 adults with Crohn’s disease would benefit from the funding each year." says Martin.

People can provide feedback through Pharmac’s website until Thursday 4 June.

Following public consultation, Pharmac will make a decision on the funding proposal. If approved, these medicines are expected be fully funded from 1 July 2025.

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