Pharmac backtracks on plan to fund lung cancer drug Keytruda
The move has dashed hopes that Keytruda would soon be publicly funded for lung cancer - New Zealand's biggest cancer killer. RNZ has obtained documents showing Pharmac had planned to offer a Request for Proposals, or RFP, where drug companies are asked to pitch their products and prices, but has put that on hold due to budget constraints. Chief executive Sarah Fitt told RNZ that Pharmac was concerned about rising drug prices worldwide in the Covid-19 pandemic and that it could not commit to funding the drug now - but still hoped to in the future.
Lung cancer patients and their advocates are devastated and said they had been given false hope. Keytruda is available in New Zealand but patients must fund it themselves. "So what we now have is 30 lung cancer patients continuing to die prematurely every week and you have to ask yourself, is that acceptable?" Fitt said funding a drug like Keytruda for lung cancer would have cost hundreds of millions over the next five years and Pharmac could not commit to that given the Covid-19 outbreak.
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What's the best way to keep grocery shopping bills down?
We are still feeling the pinch and the weekly shop is no different. So we are after your cost-saving tips please, neighbours!
What’s the best way you've found to cut down on your grocery bill? Share below (and hear tips from others!)
How much are you paying for your bin tags?
With bin tags on the way out, we want to hear how much you are still spending on them.
Poll: Should you ask before planting tall shrubs/trees near your property line?
It may be fine now but in a few years trees can block out light or views for neighbours.
Do you think neighbours should ask before they go ahead and plant these?
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69.1% Yes, always ask
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29.8% No
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1.1% Other - I'll share below!
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