Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

New cancer drugs funded

Updated at 2:49 pm on 3 September 2010

The Government drug-buying agency Pharmac has agreed to fund a range of cancer drugs, including a new lung cancer treatment which it says will ease the stress on patients.

As well as funding the new drug for advanced lung cancer, Pharmac will also widen access to two drugs used to treat lymphoma, colon cancer and rectal cancer.

The announcement is the result of an agreement between Pharmac and drug company Roche.

Pharmac medical director Peter Moodie says two of the drugs can be taken at home in pill form, replacing traditional chemotherapy infusions.

Dr Moodie says that means less inconvenience and stress for patients, who will not have to go to hospital for the treatment, while allowing hospitals to make better use of their infusion services for other patients.

Dalton Kelly of the Cancer Society echoes those sentiments, saying the announcement reflects the trend towards more treatment in the community.

Pharmac estimates 700 patients a year will benefit from the arrangement and expects savings to the health sector of about $3.7 million.

The agreement, which takes effect from 1 October, means that erlotinib (Tarceva), an oral drug, will be funded for people with advanced lung cancer.

Access will be widened for rituximab (Mabthera), used to treat some lymphoma, and the oral drug capecitabine (Xeloda) for colon and rectal cancer.

A fourth drug, mycophenolate (Cellcept), is also included in the deal. Pharmac says the immunosuppressant used in transplantation and some auto-immune diseases is reducing in price and funded access is being widened.

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