New Pharmac Proposal For Kiwis With Gout

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Hon David Seymour Associate Minister of Health

Associate Health Minister David Seymour has today welcomed a new Pharmac proposal to widen funded access to febuxostat for people with gout.

“Improving access to medicines in New Zealand is important to patients and their families. That’s why it has been a focus for this Government,” Mr Seymour says.

If approved, Pharmac will widen funded access to febuxostat from 1 February 2027. Pharmac is proposing to remove the need for people with gout to trial a medicine called probenecid before they are eligible for treatment with febuxostat, therefore enabling earlier access to febuxostat.

“Approximately 6% of adult New Zealanders are affected by gout and many are not able to manage their symptoms with diet and/or use of other medicines,” Mr Seymour says.