Pharmac
Pharmac leaving cancer patients to die – drug agents
Drug giants have told Parliament's health select committee that drug-buyer Pharmac is leaving terminally ill cancer patients to die rather than forking out for the latest drugs. Audio
David Clark on Pharmac, drugs and a life’s worth
Checkpoint presenter Lisa Owen interviews Health Minister David Clark on Pharmac's funding model, why life-prolonging drugs aren't being funded, and whether it's high time for an independent review… Video, Audio
Ma'a Nonu eyes return to All Blacks
Back in New Zealand for his third stint with the Blues, Ma'a Nonu has made it clear returning to the All Blacks is on his wish-list, as is finally lifting the Super Rugby trophy. Video, Audio
Terminally ill breast cancer patients plea: Fund drugs or we die
New drugs have extended terminally ill breast cancer patients' lives by months and years. And while they're available overseas, they're not funded here, meaning NZ patients are dying far quicker than… Video, Audio
Hep C drug to help thousands, but disease still stigmatised - advocates
From next month thousands of New Zealanders living under the shadow of the deadly Hepatitis C virus will finally be able to get lifesaving treatment.
Eye specialist welcomes Pharmac funding new drug
An eye specialist says a new drug that is saving the eyesight of patients who might otherwise go blind is a game-changer. The drug, Eylea, treats age-related macular degeneration and it's been funded… Audio
John Zalcberg, Richard Vines: Kiwis denied life-saving drugs
NZ is lagging well behind even poor nations when it comes to funding advanced cancer drugs. Australian researcher Professor John Zalcberg and Richard Vines from Rare Cancers Australia founder are part… Audio
Pharmac defends position not to fund bowel cancer drug
Pharmac is defending its position to not fund a drug recommended to patients with late-stage bowel cancer who react severely to regular chemotherapy drugs.
Cancer doctors demand Pharmac fund last-chance drugs
Two terminally ill bowel cancer patients who cannot tolerate regular chemotherapy have been denied access by drug-buyer Pharmac to an alternative life-prolonging drug that's funded in Australia and… Audio
Chemo reaction costing lives
Cancer patients who have a rare adverse reaction to chemotherapy are having to pay for alternative treatment after Pharmac rejected their applications saying they didn't come under "exceptional… Audio
NZ doesn't have access to world's best medicines, doctor says
Pharmac says out of 35 medicines funded in Australia but not in NZ, only three provide real, meaningful benefits. Cancer Society's Medical Director Chris Jackson says every oncologist he has spoken to… Video, Audio
Man denied treatment for MS because he couldn't walk 500m
A man living with multiple sclerosis says Pharmac denied funding for his medication because he was unable to walk more than 500m - one of the criteria patients and advocates say needs to be… Audio
Pharmac funding of MS drugs "restrictive & cruel"
Multiple Sclerosis New Zealand says Pharmac is denying hundreds of patients essential medication by applying overly restrictive criteria, and even withdrawing funding for drugs if a person's condition… Audio
Pharmac accused of "two-tier" system
The Cancer Society says long review periods from Pharmac are creating a two-tiered health system when it comes to accessing some types of medicine. John Forman, who chaired the New Zealand… Audio
NZ behind in funding modern medicine – Aus oncologist
Visiting Australian oncologist John Zalcberg says New Zealand cancer patients are missing out on access to new medicines, available in other countries, because Pharmac won't fund them. Video, Audio
NZ cancer drug funding the 'survival of the richest'
Cancer Society's Medical Director Chris Jackson has called the way some of his patients can afford better cancer drugs than others "survival of the richest", while oncologists throughout NZ call on… Video, Audio
Professor Ed Gane and Wendy Overy discuss Hepatitis C cure
There's been some good news for the around 50,000 New Zealanders who have Hepatitis C. A drug capable of curing the disease, Maviret, will be fully funded by Pharmac and be available from October… Audio
Will HIV-prevention drug halt record transmissions?
This week, New Zealand will become one of the first countries in the world to publicly fund the HIV-prevention drug, Pre-Exposure Propylaxis (PrEP). It's part of the New Zealand AIDS Foundation's… Audio
Pharmac to fund Truvuda for 4000 people
The Aids Foundation says wider access to the key drug Truvada is a game-changer that could slash rising HIV infection rates. Audio
Medical trial reveals Herceptin survival rate
Women taking the breast cancer drug Herceptin have similar survival rates regardless of whether they take it for nine weeks or a year, a study has revealed.
