Posted by Michael Wonder on 14 Oct 2018
New diabetes medicine funded by PHARMAC not what the doctors ordered
15 October 2018 - As of October, PHARMAC is funding a new Type 2 diabetes medicine called vildagliptin.
Endocrinologist Dr Brandon Orr-Walker says it's one of three new classes of diabetes medicines. But the other two classes would be more valuable for meeting the needs of diabetes patients in New Zealand, in particular those with kidney or cardiac disease.
"The funding of that drug took everyone by surprise, there was no clinical input from anyone outside of PHARMAC, as far as I'm aware," Dr Orr-Walker said.
