“Killing Time” One Year On, Still No Final Response From Pharmac To The Independent Review

Today marks one year since the Pharmac Review was delivered to then Health Minister Andrew Little. Its recommendations were so damning that Minister Little declared, “The days of the independent republic of Pharmac are over.”

Pharmac still hasn’t released its final response to the Review’s 33 recommendations. Patient Voice Aotearoa called for the review and believes Pharmac’s painfully slow response is yet another sign that the agency is uncommitted to change.

“Patients have been asking “what’s changed?” since the Pharmac Review was released,” says Patient Voice Aotearoa Chair Dr Malcolm Mulholland.

Despite funding several high-profile medicines during the last year – including the EpiPen which awaited funding for 25 years – 125 applications sit on Pharmac’s Options for Investment list. These are medicines that would improve, prolong and save Kiwi’s lives.

“The proof is in the pudding. One year on and dozens of medicines still sit on Pharmac’s waiting list while Kiwis continue to become medical refugees, launch Givealittle campaigns and in some cases die while waiting for medicines to be funded.

“There has been no substantive change to how Pharmac assess medicines that New Zealanders so desperately need. Yet again Pharmac is killing time while Kiwis wait for medicines that are funded in countless other countries” says Dr Mulholland.

“It appears there is still no urgency to fix New Zealand’s medicines crisis and no urgency for Pharmac to respond fully to the Review” adds Dr Mulholland.

Patient Voice Aotearoa is also extremely concerned about Pharmac’s failure to transform its culture and leadership since the Pharmac Review highlighted concerns with both.

“Pharmac’s culture, which was heavily criticised by the Review has, yet again, been in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons surrounding their botched announcement to fund Trikafta and their media ban on Today FM and Mediaworks” says Dr Mulholland.

A recent proactive document release by Pharmac regarding the media ban also revealed that Pharmac threatened to “go after them” in reference to Fiona Ellis from the Otago Daily Times who scooped Pharmac’s Trikafta story.

“We find these recent developments deeply troubling and a sign that Pharmac’s ‘fortress’ mentality has not changed” says Dr Mulholland.

“Trikafta’s funding was an incredible development but the way the announcement was managed showed a total lack of leadership and a sense that Pharmac’s focus remains on public perception and their own image as opposed to patient wellbeing.”

“The Review recommended that Pharmac improve the ‘transparency and accessibility of its systems, processes, resources, and communications’” says Dr Mulholland, “yet the agency continues to behave antagonistically towards media and advocacy groups. This raises serious questions about Pharmac’s commitment to change.”

“One year on critical questions need to be asked of the Minister of Health, the Ministry of Health and Pharmac about the glacial pace of change at Pharmac, and Pharmac’s final response to the Review must be released immediately” says Dr Mulholland. “Kiwi patients don’t have time to wait.”

Patient Voice Aotearoa is again calling on Government to provide Pharmac with the budget it needs to clear its ‘Options for Investment’ medicines list immediately –particularly due to the delay in Pharmac responding to – let alone actioning – the recommendations of the Pharmac Review.

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