PHARMAC is pleased to announce the approval of an agreement with Roche Products (NZ) Limited to widen access to tocilizumab (Actemra) in DHB hospitals from 1 July 2014. This was the subject of a consultation letter dated 11 April 2014, available on PHARMAC’s website.

In summary, the effect of the decision is that, from 1 July 2014:

• Tocilizumab will continue to be listed on the hospital medicines list (HML) for the treatment of systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA), subject to the existing HML restrictions; and
• HML restrictions for tocilizumab will be widened to include the treatment of severe rheumatoid arthritis in patients who are unable to be treated with methotrexate and who have not responded to cyclosporin or leflunomide.

For more details, go to: http://www.pharmac.health.nz/news/notification-2014-05-14-tocilizumab/