Hon David Seymour
Associate Minister of Health
Hon Simeon Brown
Minister of Health

Associate Health Minister with responsibility for Pharmac David Seymour, and Health Minister Simeon Brown welcome Pharmac’s decision to fund medicines for a further five health conditions, including cancers, from 1 April 2025.

“Pharmac operates independently, but it must work within the budget constraints set by the government,” Mr Seymour says.

“Today represents another step forward for cancer patients as the $604 million uplift from the government continues to facilitate access to new treatments.

“Pharmac continues to show what it is capable of when given the support it needs.

Pharmac has today announced their decision to fund six medicines for cancer, including a combination treatment, and one medicine for antibiotic resistant infections, from 1 April 2025.

From 1 April Pharmac will fund:

• nivolumab (branded as Opdivo) and ipilimumab (branded as Yervoy) for clear cell kidney cancer that has spread,
• axitinib (branded as Inlyta) for clear cell kidney cancer that has spread and worsened after trying other medicines,
• sunitinib for kidney cancer that has spread at any point of treatment,
• inotuzumab ozogamicin (branded as Besponsa) for a type of blood cancer called acute lymphoblastic leukaemia that has come back after prior treatment,
• crizotinib (branded as Xalkori) for a type of advanced non-small cell lung cancer with a ROS1 mutation,
• ceftazidime with avibactam (branded as Zavicefta) for antibiotic resistant infections.

“I’m pleased to see Pharmac’s responsiveness to the voices of patients and their families by expanding access to more medicines for more groups. This decision reflects our commitment to a more adaptable and patient-centered approach.”

Mr Brown says delivering better and faster access to cancer care in New Zealand has been a focus of this Government. Faster access to cancer care is one of the Government’s five key health targets, and the Government has invested an additional $604 million for new cancer medicines.

“As Minister of Health, I am focused on ensuring all New Zealanders have access to timely, quality healthcare. That includes Kiwis fighting cancer, who will have access to more cancer medicines as a result of the Government’s $604 million funding uplift, better cancer management driven by our faster cancer treatment target, and earlier detection of cancers through screening programmes,” Mr Brown says.

“We want to build a world-class health system, and that requires world-class medicines,” Mr Seymour says.

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