14 February 2022 - PHARMAC has issued a consultation today on proposals to widen access to two medicines, rituximab and zoledronic acid, estimated to benefit 1,750 New Zealanders a year.

“We are proposing that access to rituximab be widened to include funding for people with severe, rapidly progressing pemphigus or pemphigus that does not respond to systemic corticosteroids. As it is an uncommon disease, we anticipate there will be around fifteen New Zealanders with pemphigus a year who could benefit from rituximab treatment.

Two brands of zoledronic acid (Aclasta and Zoledronic acid Mylan) are currently funded for a variety of indications including cancer and osteoporosis.

“We are proposing widening access to the funding of zoledronic acid to include two new uses – to treat symptomatic hypercalcaemia and for the prevention of bone loss after spinal cord injury. We are also proposing it be funded for an additional year of treatment for early breast cancer, offering two additional doses. Approximately 1,735 more people a year will benefit from the widened access to zoledronic acid.

Read PHARMAC press release