More MS sufferers to get funded treatment

Pharmac is hailing its new funding deal for treating multiple sclerosis as the most significant change since the government agency started funding MS treatments 15 years ago.

Pharmac estimates that New Zealand's 600 or so MS sufferers who receive funded treatment will grow by about 400 in coming years, with the change in criteria and improved choice of treatments.

It funds treatment for a particular type of the neurological disease - relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.

As well as funding two new medicines fingolimod (Gilenya) and natalizumab (Tysabri), Pharmac has also approved changes to the way MS treatments will be funded.

From November 1 all treatments will be funded from first diagnosis.

"Until now the beta interferons and glatiramer have been the only medicines funded for MS, and people have needed to show a level of disability before medicines were funded," Pharmac operations director Sarah Fitt said.

"Evidence shows natalizumab and fingolimod are more effective than the currently funded MS treatments, and that they are most effective when used early in disease progression."

She says the previously available beta interferons and glatiramer treatments will continue to be funded and also be available for people from first diagnosis.

The MS funding changes are part of a wider agreement Pharmac has reached with Novartis New Zealand, the local unit of the global pharmaceuticals firm, which will also fund new treatments for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic myeloid leukaemia, asthma, cystic fibrosis, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.

The terms of the agreement are confidential, though the nine new treatments add to Novartis's 30 or so existing medicines and treatments already funded.

More here:
More MS sufferers to get funded treatment