Govt Welcomes Plans To Fund Keytruda And Tecentriq Lung Cancer Medicines

· Keytruda (pembrolizumab) is proposed to be funded as the first medicine in eligible people’s advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treatment

· Tecentriq (atezolizumab) is proposed to be funded as a second-line treatment, subject to eligibility criteria for people with advanced NSCLC

The Government welcomes news the national drug-funding agency Pharmac plans to fund two medicines to help New Zealanders with advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

“People who are in need of these medicines are now one step closer to accessing them, with the news that Pharmac is consulting to fund Keytruda and Tecentriq,” Health Minister Andrew Little said.

“This is another example of how the Government’s boost to the medicines budget is helping New Zealanders”, says Health Minister Andrew Little.

Locally advanced or metastatic advanced non-small cell lung cancer (referred to as “advanced NSCLC”) is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the lung.

The majority of people with lung cancer are diagnosed with advanced disease, at the locally advanced or metastatic stage.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death in Aotearoa New Zealand, and these treatments would provide more options for those people with advanced NSCLC.

“Health has always been a priority for Labour governments. It is Pharmac, not politicians, who make the decisions on what treatments to fund, but politicians decide the amount of funding provided to Pharmac.” Andrew Little said.

“The medicines budget was not adequately funded by the previous Government. We’re now seeing the outcomes of what happens when you invest in health, Andrew Little said.

These decisions follow the Cancer Control Agencies report earlier this year that identified gaps in New Zealand's availability of publically funded cancer medicines. It's good to see more equitable access to cancer treatments being added to the schedule in New Zealand.

This government’s investments in medicines has also contributed to funding Durvalumab for stage 3 non-small cell lung cancer, Olaparib for high-grade ovarian cancer, Trastuzumab emtansine for breast cancer, Gemtuzumab ozogamicin for Acute Myeloid Leukaemia, Obinutuzumab for relapsed or refractory follicular or marginal zone lymphoma, Ibrutinib for relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, Brentuximab vedotin for relapsed/refractory Hodgkin and anaplastic large cell lymphoma, Vinorelbine capsules for solid tumours (primarily breast and lung) since July 2022 alone.

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