National promised, and today it delivered, confirming it is funding the breast cancer drug Herceptin for 12 months.
About 300 women a year should benefit as a result.
The decision comes after a highly politicised fight in which a lobby group called Herceptin Heroines first fought Pharmac, then Labour, to try to get funding extended from nine weeks to a year.
But it took a change of government.
For Dr Chris Walsh, after a two year battle, the fight is finally over.
"Absolutely ecstatic, I'm just over the moon," says Dr Walsh. "I'm so happy that we've finally got this for New Zealand women."
Herceptin Heroines fought Government funding agency Pharmac to extend funding for Herceptin from nine weeks to 12 months. Pharmac said no, the High Court said no and the Labour Government said it could not override Pharmac.
Then came an election, and National promised to say yes.
"I don't really care what the officials think," says Prime Minister John Key. "I care about what I think is right."
Any woman eligible for public health care with early Her-2 breast cancer who will benefit from treatment can get it, and it will even be backdated.
"Between 19th of November when we were sworn in as Government and today, effectively there's been about 30 women who are privately paying for their costs of Herceptin and we're going to reimburse them those costs."
Until now, 12 months was only available privately, costing between $50,000 and $100,000 because Pharmac would not fund it.
National has cut Pharmac out of the picture.
"There'll be a contract between the Ministry of Health and Roche, the supplier of Herceptin, and they'll be billing the DHBs," says Mr Key.
Labour insists there is no medical evidence the 12-month programme works, and says by sidelining Pharmac, National has politicised the funding process.
"We need a robust process based on best medical evidence, and Pharmac is that process," says Labour's health spokeswoman Ruth Dyson.
But National says the evidence is there, and 34 other countries who fund it agree.
Herceptin Heroines say Mr Key has got it right and has shown the leadership that Labour did not.
"You've kinda stuck to it, got in there and no mucking around, lets just get on with it," Dr Walsh said to Mr Key.
No legislation is required to make the change and it is effective immediately.
3 News
source: newshub archive
