Widened access to diabetes medicines to benefit over 30,000 New Zealanders

Pharmac has widened access to four medicines for people with type 2 diabetes.

Under new eligibility criteria introduced on 1 September, over the next 12 months around 14,000 more people with type 2 diabetes will be able to access funded medicines empagliflozin, empagliflozin with metformin, liraglutide and dulaglutide, with the number increasing to around 31,000 people after five years.

Pharmac Chief Medical Officer, Dr David Hughes, says prior to 1 September, around 145,000 people could access these medicines, which help lower blood sugar and reduce the risk of heart and kidney complications for some people.

“Type 2 diabetes affects hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders and can lead to serious complications including heart and kidney disease.

“This decision means more people with type 2 diabetes will be able to access medicines that help lower blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of future complications which hugely impact their quality of life and, ultimately, put extra burden on the health system,” says Dr Hughes.

The medicines will be funded for New Zealanders with type 2 diabetes whose blood sugar levels remain high despite treatment with other funded diabetes medicines.

The change widens access to these medicines by removing the requirement that people have a history of cardiovascular or renal disease, elevated risk of cardiovascular disease, and existing ethnicity criteria.

Existing criteria requiring elevated blood sugar levels remain.

“For people living with type 2 diabetes, earlier access to effective treatment can help improve blood sugar control and support better long-term health outcomes,” Dr Hughes says.

The decision to widen access followed major consultation during May this year with people living with type 2 diabetes, their families and whānau, health professionals, community organisations and advocacy groups.