5264 (2024). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Associate Minister of Health

5264 (2024). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Associate Minister of Health: What progress has been made in the last quarter (October to December 2023) to ‘Ensure more transparent funding decisions by PHARMAC’ under Outcome 4: New Zealanders have better cancer survival, supportive care and end-of-life care, as part of the New Zealand Cancer Action Plan 2019 – 2029?

Hon David Seymour: I am advised that Pharmac has implemented the recommendation in the New Zealand Cancer Action Plan 2019-2029 to ‘ensure more transparent funding decisions by Pharmac’. Progress made from October to December 2023 includes updates to Pharmac’s funding application tracker, Pharmconnect; public consultations on proposed funding decisions; information being made available on Pharmac’s webite; and proactive media releases on funding decisions. Pharmac has previously implemented processes for cancer medicines and rare disorders medicines whereby it can assess a funding application at the same time Medsafe is assessing the application for regulatory approval.