Update on funding decision for two new diabetes medicines
PHARMAC would like to thank everyone who has provided feedback to date on a proposal to fund two new medicines for type 2 diabetes; empagliflozin (with and without metformin) and dulaglutide.
We now consider it likely that the PHARMAC Board will make a decision on a proposal to fund these medicines in January. We expect to be able to notify their decision in early February.
This proposal was the subject of a consultation letter dated 9 September 2020, and on 5 November 2020 we provided an update noting that implementation would not occur on 1 December 2020 as we had previously anticipated. This was because we needed time to carefully consider the consultation feedback we had received.
We appreciate that the delay from the original timeline proposed has been disappointing. Consultation is a very important step in our process, and the time it takes to consider and respond to all the feedback we receive can vary. Consultation is an important way that we check that what we are proposing can be implemented by the health sector and that the people who will get the most benefit from the medicines will be able to access them.
If you have any questions about this update, email enquiry@pharmac.govt.nz