Pharmac Expands Access To Funded Cancer Medicines For Adolescents And Young Adults
New Zealand's Pharmac agency is expanding access to funded cancer medicines for adolescents and young adults with paediatric-origin cancers. Starting October 14, eligible patients will receive funding regardless of whether they are treated in paediatric or adult clinical settings.
Why it matters
Policy changes in healthcare access directly impact patient outcomes and the financial burden on families dealing with pediatric cancer.
News Video | Policy | GPs | Hospitals | Medical | Mental Health | Welfare | /" style="white-space: nowrap">Search
More young people with cancers that commonly occur in childhood will soon have access to funded cancer medicines, following a decision by Pharmac to update Rule 8.1(b) of the Pharmaceutical Schedule.
Rule 8.1(b) gives children with cancer, treated in a paediatric oncology service, funded access to any medicine used to treat their cancer.
“From 14 October, this access will be extended to adolescents and young adults with paediatric-origin cancers who meet the eligibility criteria,” says Pharmac's Chief Medical Officer, Dr David Hughes.
Eligibility under the expanded pathway requires all three of the following criteria to be met - a paediatric-origin cancer, treatment on a paediatric-based treatment protocol, and eligibility for Health NZ's Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Service.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in