Decision to list trientine for the treatment of Wilson disease
What we're doing
We’re pleased to announce that trientine (branded as Trientine Waymade) will be listed on the Pharmaceutical Schedule from 1 May 2024. It will be funded for people with Wilson disease subject to eligibility criteria.
This decision will make it easier for people with Wilson disease to access funded trientine. Prescribers do not have to submit a Named Patient Pharmaceutical Assessment application. Instead, they can apply for a Special Authority approval. These are automatic and approvals will be life-long.
Trientine was included in a previous Annual Invitation to Tender. We have awarded Principal Supply of trientine dihydrochloride 250 mg capsules to Trientine Waymade, supplied by Clinect.
Trientine dihydrochloride 300 mg capsules will be delisted from Section H of the Pharmaceutical Schedule (the Hospital Medicines List, HML) from 1 October 2024.
Any changes to the original proposal?
This decision was subject to a consultation letter dated 11 March 2024.
All consultation responses received were supportive. We did not receive any feedback suggesting changes were needed to the proposed eligibility criteria. Therefore, we haven’t made any changes to the original proposal.
Who we think will be interested
- People with Wilson disease and their families and whānau
- Support & advocacy groups for people with Wilson disease
- Healthcare professionals involved in the management of Wilson disease
- Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora
- Wholesalers and suppliers of trientine capsules
Details about this decision
Trientine 250 mg capsules (branded as Trientine Waymade) will be listed in Section B and Part II of Section H of the Pharmaceutical Schedule from 1 May 2024 as follows:
| Chemical | Presentation | Brand (Supplier) | Pack Size | Subsidy and price (ex-man, ex. GST) |
|
Trientine |
Cap 250 mg |
Trientine Waymade (Clinect) |
100 | $2,022.00 |
The Trientine Waymade brand will have Principal Supply Status in the community and in Health NZ hospitals from 1 October 2024 until 30 June 2025.
Trientine will be listed in Section B of the Pharmaceutical Schedule subject to the following Special Authority criteria:
Special Authority for Subsidy
Initial application from any relevant practitioner. Approvals valid without further renewal unless notified for applications meeting the following criteria:
All of the following:
- Patient has confirmed Wilson disease; and
- Treatment with D-penicillamine has been trialled and discontinued because the person has experienced intolerable side effects or has not received sufficient benefit; and
- Treatment with zinc has been trialled and discontinued because the person has experienced intolerable side effects or has not received sufficient benefit, or zinc is considered clinically inappropriate as the person has symptomatic liver disease and requires copper chelation.
Similar restrictions will apply in Part II of Section H of the Pharmaceutical Schedule.
Trientine dihydrochloride 300 mg capsules will be delisted from Part II of Section H of the Pharmaceutical Scheduled (the Hospital Medicines List, HML) from 1 October 2024.
For people currently receiving funded trientine via the NPPA pathway
People receiving treatment through the Named Patient Pharmaceutical Assessment (NPPA) pathway will need to transition to the listed brand of trientine 250 mg capsules.
We understand the majority of people receiving funded trientine via NPPA are already using the Trientine Waymade capsules. We want to ensure prescribers are aware of the change and can talk to people about what this change means for them. We will contact prescribers and pharmacies directly.
You can read more Wilson disease and the impact of this decision in our consultation letter.
Our response to what you told us
We’re grateful to those who took the time to respond to our consultation. This is an important part of our decision-making process. It gives us the opportunity to listen to the voices of the community and acknowledge and respond to feedback.
| Theme | Pharmac comment |
| All responses were supportive of the proposal, including the proposed Special Authority criteria. | We are pleased to be funding trientine through the Pharmaceutical Schedule and providing easier access to funded medicines for New Zealanders. |
If you have any questions about this decision, you can email us at enquiry@pharmac.govt.nz; or call our toll free number (9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday) on 0800 660 050.