Posted by Michael Wonder on 05 Feb 2026
PHARMAC proposes wider access to a treatment for people with a rare blood cancer
4 February 2026 - People in New Zealand living with a rare type of blood cancer, systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma, could benefit from wider access to brentuximab vedotin under a proposal from Pharmac.
PHARMAC is consulting on a change that would allow brentuximab vedotin to be used as a first-line treatment option for people newly diagnosed with systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma. If approved, the treatment would be funded from 1 April 2026.
