Myeloma New Zealand Is Pleased By Pharmac’s Announcement To Improve Access To Myeloma Medicines

“We are very pleased Pharmac has today announced a positive outcome for myeloma patients from its consultation to expand access to lenalidomide and to fund a new medicine, pomalidomide,“ says Barbara Horne, Chair of Myeloma New Zealand. “This is exciting for the myeloma community who have been advocating for modern medicines for a number of years. With this decision, Pomalidomide becomes the first new myeloma treatment to be funded in New Zealand in ten years.”

“The very nature of myeloma means these medicines on their own are not enough and we will continue to advocate for more modern medicines and treatments for those affected by this blood cancer.”

“Today’s announcement is an excellent step - it should have happened some time ago. Myeloma is New Zealand’s second most common blood cancer. It is a relapsing remitting disease. It will come back. And, when it does, patients need a new treatment or they will die. While Pharmac’s announcement adds another medicine for NZ patients, in other countries there are a number of treatments available that are essentially turning myeloma into a chronic and manageable disease.”

“Approximately 3000 New Zealanders have myeloma. Patients are dying unnecessarily because they do not have access to enough treatments or to those that are standard of care overseas and in private treatment in New Zealand. Myeloma New Zealand has been running our “Keep Us Living” campaign for almost two years to draw attention to the pitiful availability of funded medicines to treat this cancer. Australia already funds four more medicines than New Zealand – it’s heartbreaking for patients and families to know that, even with today’s announcement, we are so far behind”.

Note: 

Multiple myeloma (myeloma) is a blood cancer that resides in the bone marrow. It affects multiple sites in the body where bone marrow is normally active in adults, including the spine, skull, pelvis, ribs, shoulders and hips. Sufferers of myeloma experience serious complications including bone and kidney disease, serious infections, and excessive levels of calcium which can lead to confusion, disorientation and weakness.

Myeloma is New Zealand’s second most common blood cancer. Each year, approximately 450 New Zealanders are diagnosed with myeloma and the rate is increasing. There is currently an estimated 3000 individuals with myeloma in New Zealand and approximately 150 a year die from myeloma. Inequity exists in myeloma with Māori and Pasifika reporting a higher rate of diagnosis and a lower rate of survival.

Myeloma is not curable but, with innovations in treatment over recent years, in many countries overseas it is now being seen and treated as more like a chronic disease, where patients are able to remain on treatment and keep well for increasingly longer. 

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