Panel to help improve access to high cost medicines

The government has announced a panel to recommend how to improve access to high-cost, highly specialised medicines in New Zealand.

This fulfils a National Party pre-election commitment.

Health Minister, Tony Ryall says "Research suggests that in recent years, New Zealand has subsidised significantly fewer innovative new medicines than Australia.

"Highly specialised medicines can provide individual patients with major, sometimes life changing, benefits but the number of people who benefit is not large. And as few people will benefit from these medicines, the overall cost to the health system is not great."

A three person panel will review access to these highly specialised medicines and the exceptional circumstances funds, work with stakeholders to recommend ways to improve access and advise the Minister of Health.

The panel members are:

• Dr Paul McCormack (Chair): Formerly Managing Director of Pegasus Health, Christchurch
• Joy Quigley, former MP (1990-99) and most recently Executive Director of Independent Schools of NZ
• Associate Professor Paul Hansen, Department of Economics, University of Otago.

The panel will report to the Minister in mid 2010.

In yesterday's Budget, the Government announced a total $185.7 million in new funding for subsidised medicines over four years.