The outgoing medical director of drug-buying agency Pharmac says the breast cancer drug Herceptin posed his biggest challenge in the job.
Peter Moodie is to leave Pharmac at the end of the year after 14 years in the job.
Dr Moodie says when he started at Pharmac it was a traumatic time, with drug companies hell bent on destroying the agency because of its hard-nosed approach to drug funding decisions.
He says the controversy in 2007 over its decision to fund nine weeks rather than 12 months of Herceptin, largely because of the cost, was probably the most difficult decision for him.
The incoming National Government funded 12 months, as promised, which Dr Moodie says is democracy and he is comfortable with it.
However, he says he cannot think of anything Pharmac would have done differently with Herceptin.
He says most New Zealanders now support the job Pharmac does.
Dr Moodie says after he leaves Pharmac he plans to spend more time working as a general practitioner.
