Posted by Michael Wonder on 08 Mar 2021
Jacinda Ardern responds to heartfelt plea from PHARMAC funding advocate Malcolm Mulholland
8 March 2021 - Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has responded to a heartfelt plea by Malcolm Mulholland, a man advocating for an increased PHARMAC budget to fund more life-saving drugs that can better the lives of critically-ill New Zealanders.
Last Tuesday, the Government announced it would launch a review into PHARMAC, the public agency that decides which medicines are subsidised for public use on behalf of the District Health Boards.
However, its total budget - a point of contention for Mulholland - will not be included in the assessment. Instead, the review will focus on how PHARMAC performs against its objectives, the timeliness and transparency of its decision-making regarding new medicines, and equity concerns, including access for Māori and Pacific peoples.
