New Medicine And An Easier Renewal Process Proposed For People With ADHD

Pharmac – Te Pātaka Whaioranga is asking for feedback on two changes for people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) - a new medicine, and changes to the renewal criteria.
Pharmac is proposing:

• to fund lisdexamfetamine – known as Vyvanse – for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD),
• and to remove the renewal criteria for stimulant medicines, used in the treatment of ADHD and narcolepsy.

Pharmac’s Director of Advice and Assessment, Dr David Hughes, says that lisdexamfetamine, if approved, would benefit over 6,000 people with ADHD in the first year, and 13,000 people after five years.

“Funding lisdexamfetamine would be a great addition to the ADHD treatment options already available and would help alleviate the supply shortages that are causing stress and frustration for a number of people.”

The other consultation open for feedback focuses on removing the renewal criteria for the funding of stimulant medicines. These medicines – methylphenidate, dexamfetamine and modafinil – are used for ADHD and narcolepsy.

Currently people need input from a specialist doctor every two years to renew their Special Authority so they can continue to have funded access to these medicines. Children under the age of five need to visit their doctor every year to continue their access.

“People have told us about the difficulty of waiting for specialist appointments, dealing with the costs of appointments, and then having to wait for reassessments to come through before their current approval expires,” says Dr Hughes. “We know this is stressful for many people, and we are keen to make the process easier.”

Pharmac is proposing to remove the renewal criteria from 1 December 2024. Meaning that people who have started on a stimulant treatment, who have a current special authority, would be given an approval that does not require renewing by a specialist doctor.

“This is a big change,” says Dr Hughes. “It means that once a special authority has been granted to start funded stimulant medicines, your doctor or nurse practitioner would be able to continue prescribing your medicine.

“They would need to ensure that you continue to benefit from the treatment, and that continued prescribing is in line with the written treatment plan made when the treatment was started.

“We’re hoping that these changes would improve the experience of people with ADHD.”

ADHD NZ spokesperson Darrin Bull is thrilled about the proposal.

“For some time access to diagnosis and medication has been difficult for many people with ADHD. This proposal is a significant step forward that will enable the ADHD community to thrive. It’s great that Pharmac continues to be responsive to the needs of those with ADHD.”

Kent Duston, the co-convener of ADHD policy group Aroreretini Aotearoa, is excited about the proposed changes.

“This is a very big deal for the ADHD community and the GPs and specialists that support us,” says Duston. “Not having to renew access to stimulant medications every two years will make a huge difference to the quality of life for many people with ADHD and will lift some of the burden on front-line medical teams across the country.

“We welcome Pharmac’s approach to improving access to ADHD medications, and we’re very much looking forward to the new rules taking effect later this year, subject to Pharmac's decision making process.”

Consultation on the funding proposal for lisdexamfetamine opens on Thursday 12 September and closes on Thursday 26 September. Consultation on the removal of the renewal criteria opens on Thursday 12 September and closes on Thursday 3 October.

Proposal to fund lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse) for the treatment of ADHD: https://pharmac.govt.nz/news-and-resources/consultations-and-decisions/proposal-to-fund-lisdexamfetamine-vyvanse-for-attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd

Proposal to remove the renewal criteria for stimulant treatments: https://pharmac.govt.nz/news-and-resources/consultations-and-decisions/proposal-to-remove-the-renewal-criteria-for-stimulant-treatments

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