Increasing access to new cancer medicines

Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora, the Ministry of Health Manatū Hauora, Pharmac and Te Aho o Te Kahu Cancer Control Agency are working together to prepare the health system to deliver the new medicines, without disrupting the cancer care people are currently receiving. We are also improving the way that care is provided, and looking into providing treatment in the community and closer to home.

The new medicines are being funded under the Government’s $604 million budget boost (spread over four years) to Pharmac’s Combined Pharmaceutical Budget (CPB). The Government also provided $38 million to Health New Zealand to support the implementation in the first year. The $38 million is funding the recruitment of additional clinical staff (including doctors, nurses, and pharmacy staff) to administer the medicines. Some medicines require special testing so Health New Zealand is working with laboratory providers to make sure this is available and fully funded for those patients who need it.

From 1 November Pharmac has funded five cancer medicines for 11 different cancers and is working through feedback on another nine treatments. Funding for Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) to treat six different cancers began from 1 October 2024. This was followed by funding of four more medicines (listed below) to treat five types of cancer from 1 November 2024:
    • Cetuximab (Erbitux), for people with bowel cancer (two different groups)
    • Nivolumab (Opdivo), for people with named types of kidney cancer
    • Bendamustine for people with some types of blood and bone marrow cancer.
    • Pemetrexed for any cancer.

On 8 November Pharmac announced they would fund lenvatinib (Lenvima) from 1 December 2024 for people with some types of liver, kidney, and thyroid cancer. They will also widen access to everolimus (Afinitor) to be used with lenvatinib for eligible people with kidney cancer.

Over the next year(2025), these new medicines will help more than 1,000 New Zealanders with cancer. If a person thinks they may benefit from a new medicine, we encourage them to speak with their cancer specialist (oncologist). They will be best placed to advise on the suitability of any new treatments.

Stay up to date and provide feedback on new medicines being considered via Pharmac’s website.
For information on implementing new cancer medicines visit our webpage.

Help spread the word

© Te Aho o Te Kahu. About this site. All rights reserved. No part of this site may be reproduced without our written permission. We value your privacy.