Review of PHARMAC Announced 

3 March 2021

The Government announced on 2 March 2021 that it has commissioned an independent review into PHARMAC. 

The review will focus on two areas:

• How well PHARMAC performs against its current objectives and whether and how it its performance against these could be improved.
  
  
• Whether PHARMAC’s current objectives maximise its potential to improve health outcomes for all New Zealanders as part of the wider health system, and whether and how these outcomes should be changed.

The review will consider a range of factors, including:

• The timeliness of PHARMAC’s decision-making (in particular for new medicines)
  
  
• The transparency and accessibility of decision-making processes
  
  
• Equity, including access to medicines and devices for Maori and Pacific peoples.
  
  

The review will be undertaken by an independent panel chaired by consumer advocate Sue Chetwin. It is expected to be completed this year, with an interim report in August and a final report in December. Read the Government’s announcement.

CFNZ welcomes the review of PHARMAC and is pleased that the Government has responded to concerns about access to new medicines and timeliness of decision-making, in particular. 

CFNZ will take every opportunity to ensure the independent review panel is aware of the challenges faced by those with CF, and how early access to medicines such as Trikafta is essential to help address those challenges.    

But we cannot sit back and wait for the review panel’s final report in December 2021. PHARMAC urgently needs a substantial increase in funding now to enable it to clear the growing backlog of approved medicines awaiting funding, and provide for life saving new medicines. 

Government must give PHARMAC a major boost in the coming year’s budget to ensure that Trikafta, and other urgently needed medicines, can be funded as soon as possible.

Kiwis with CF can’t wait any longer.

Read more about the campaign for Trikafta >