New Zealand decision to fund unapproved medicines for various conditions

New Zealand’s Pharmaceutical Management Agency, PHARMAC, has announced the approval of an agreement with Link Pharmaceuticals to list various unapproved medicines from April 1, 2013. This agreement was the subject of a consultation letter dated January 14, 2013. In summary:

• The following pharmaceuticals will be listed in Section B and/or Part II of Section H of the Pharmaceutical Schedule from 1 April 2013:
• Benzbromarone for gout
• Diazoxide for hyperinsulinism
• Para-amino salicylic acid and protionamide for tuberculosis infection
• Paromomycin for cryptosporidium infection
• Tetracycline and bismuth for Helicobacter pylori infection
• Stiripentol for Dravet syndrome
• Nitazoxanide for protozoan infection
• Pegaspargase (also known as pegylated asparaginase) for acute lymphoblastic leukemia in combination with chemotherapy

• PHARMAC was made aware during consultation of the possibility of securing supply of an approved brand of rifaximin (a treatment for hepatic encephalopathy). As a consequence, PHARMAC has decided not to fund an unapproved brand of rifaximin at this time. In the meantime, clinicians can continue to make applications for funding of rifaximin via the Named Patient Pharmaceutical Assessment (NPPA) process.