The National party made a pre-election commitment to bridge the trans-Tasman gap in access to cancer medicines, pledging to fund 13 medicines for solid tumour cancers. At the time, Hon. Shane Reti proactively addressed the blood cancer community with the promise, “‘we have not forgotten you” and publicly stated his expectation that the updated analysis from the Cancer Control Agency – Understanding Blood Cancer Medicine Availability in Aotearoa – would inform what needed to be done to close the gap in access to blood cancer medicines.
The updated report has just been released and brings to light the harsh reality that life-saving blood cancer medicines readily available to patients in comparable countries remain unfunded in New Zealand .
The Government must act with urgency to bridge this gap and fulfil their promise by funding medicines available in Australia but not New Zealand.
To sign the letter – click here