Pharmac seeks feedback on widening access to febuxostat for people with gout

Pharmac is seeking feedback on a proposal to widen access to the urate-lowering medicine febuxostat for people with gout.

Gout is a form of arthritis caused by a build-up of uric acid in the body. When uric acid levels become too high, urate crystals can form in and around the joints, leading to painful gout attacks that can cause sudden swelling, redness, and severe pain.

Febuxostat is a urate-lowering medicine that works by reducing the production of uric acid, helping to dissolve existing urate crystals and prevent new crystals from forming. Taking febuxostat can help prevent gout attacks and reduce the risk of long-term joint and kidney damage caused by ongoing crystal build-up.

Pharmac’s Director Pharmaceuticals, Geraldine MacGibbon, says “currently, people must trial two other medicines, allopurinol and probenecid, before becoming eligible for funded febuxostat.”

This proposal would remove the requirement to trial probenecid. 

“Pharmac has heard there is strong desire to make febuxostat more widely available for people with gout, because febuxostat only needs to be taken once a day and its dosing can be easier to adjust compared with probenecid. We estimate the proposed changes would mean an additional 5,500 – 7,300 more people per year would access febuxostat.”

Consultation is open from Wednesday 16 September 2026, until midnight Wednesday 30 September 2026.

All feedback received by the closing date will be considered before a final decision is made.

Pharmac is seeking feedback on widening access to febuxostat to treat gout, by removing the requirement to trial probenecid.