More MS drug funding from PHARMAC

New Zealanders who have multiple sclerosis (MS) have been offered hope with a decision announced today by drug-funding agency PHARMAC.

It has decided to pay for two expensive drugs known to prevent the disease's debilitating symptoms.

Mellanie Ullrich was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2006.

She battled fatigue, numbness and tingling before funding her own treatment at a cost of $5000 a month.

"It's massive in the fact that I am well, I am healthy. I haven't had any relapses since I've been on the medication," says Ms Ullrich.

Now she and MS New Zealand have won the fight for PHARMAC to fund the drug so others can have the same benefits without the price tag.

"It's a relief in the fact that it will be able to help so many people," says Ms Ullrich.

"So many young women who were in my position who had small children and MS has the reputation of being a horrendous disease where you'll end up in a wheel chair."

And until now PHARMAC would wait until those symptoms existed before funding treatment.

MS New Zealand vice president Neil Woodham says if treatment is successful, sufferers will never become disabled or it will be postponed for a long time.

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More MS drug funding from PHARMAC