5,700 people to benefit from widened access to funded medicines

Pharmac – Te Pātaka Whaioranga is widening access to seven medicines, benefitting an estimated 5,700 people within the first year of funding.

The decision includes treatments for schizophrenia, low iron levels, constipation, and severe psoriasis of the genitals or skin folds.

“We’re pleased to be able to widen access to these medicines which we know will have a positive impact on peoples’ lives,” says Pharmac’s Senior Therapeutic Group Manager, Alexandra Compton.

“These treatments will help people manage the symptoms they experience on a daily basis – supporting their health and wellbeing.”

From 1 November 2024, more people will be able to access:

• aripiprazole depot (long-acting) injection for schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders
• ferric carboxymaltose for iron deficiency anaemia in and chronic inflammatory disease
• methylnaltrexone bromide for opioid induced constipation in hospitals
• funded biologic treatments (adalimumab, etanercept, secukinumab, and infliximab) for people with severe psoriasis of the genitals or skin folds.

Following feedback from the consultation, the funding criteria for aripiprazole depot injection was changed to widen access further.

“We originally proposed to widen access to the aripiprazole depot (long-acting) injection for people with schizophrenia who have or are at high risk of metabolic syndrome - a group of conditions that increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes,” says Compton.

“After listening to feedback we have widened access to aripiprazole depot injection further. It will be available in the same setting as other funded atypical antipsychotic injections, meaning that there will be more flexibility to choose which medicine is the best to use for each person. It will also be available for people with other psychotic disorders, in addition to schizophrenia.

“We understand that people with schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders who are more likely to experience adverse side effects with their current medicine will really benefit from the wider availability to aripiprazole long-acting injection.”

This funding decision is part of the package of additional funding which the Government allocated to Pharmac in June.