6 June 2019 - PHARMAC has made a decision to make changes to the funding of etanercept, a biologic medicine used to reduce chronic inflammation and treat immune-mediated conditions such as arthritis and psoriasis, from 1 July 2019.

This decision means that:

• the currently funded brand of etanercept, Enbrel (supplied by Pfizer), will remain fully funded and will be the only funded brand from 1 September 2019 until 30 June 2024.
• funded access for severe chronic plaque psoriasis will be widened by lowering the entry severity and including an alternate measure of treatment response, from 1 July 2019.
• a new 25 mg autoinjector will be listed in the future.
• the net price of etanercept will reduce from 1 July 2019

Read PHARMAC press release