4739 (2024). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Associate Minister of Health

4739 (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 ‘agree cancer pharmaceuticals should be considered like other pharmaceuticals. The emphasis needs to be on severity of disease, clinical alternatives and cost for benefit’ from the Pharmac Review final report?

Hon David Seymour: I am advised that Pharmac considers cancer medicines in the same way as other pharmaceuticals.