4729 (2024). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Associate Minister of Health

4729 (2024). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Associate Minister of Health: What progress, if any, has been made in the last quarter (September to December 2023), toward implementing the recommendation to ‘formalise the discretion currently applied within the exceptional circumstances process to minimise barriers to access for rare disorders, including greater clinical oversight’ from the Pharmac Review final report?

Hon David Seymour: I am advised Pharmac’s Rare Disorders Advisory Specialist Advisory Committee will be reviewing an overview of exceptional circumstances applications for individuals for rare disorders at its May 2024 meeting. This includes identifying potential medicines that could be considered for listing in the Pharmaceutical Schedule. Pharmac has recruited a number of new clinical advisors to their exceptional circumstances panel, with an increase from 6 to 17 since September 2023.