Pharmac widens funded cancer drug access for young Kiwis with paediatric-origin cancers
Last Updated on October 2, 2026
From 14 October, adolescents and young adults with paediatric-origin cancers will have clearer access to funded cancer medicines, regardless of whether they are treated through a paediatric or adult health service.
The change, announced by Associate Health Minister David Seymour and Health Minister Simeon Brown, comes from Beehive.govt.nz, the government’s official release site, following a Pharmac decision affecting Rule 8.1(b) of the Pharmaceutical Schedule.
What changes under the new rule
Under the current system, some young people with cancers that originate in childhood, but who are diagnosed or treated later as adolescents or young adults, have faced inconsistent access to funded medicines depending on which service treats them. A patient moving from a paediatric to an adult haematology/oncology service could find their funded treatment options shift, even if their clinical needs had not changed.
From next month, Pharmac will:
- Expand access under Rule 8.1(b) to eligible adolescents and young adults with paediatric-origin cancers who meet approved eligibility criteria
- Allow those patients to access funded cancer medicines regardless of whether they are treated in a paediatric or adult service
- Provide what the government describes as a clearer, more consistent pathway to funded cancer treatment for this group
Pharmac estimates around 15 adolescents and young adults a year will become newly eligible for funded treatment as a result.
Why the rule needed fixing
Seymour said the current arrangement meant young people receiving the same or very similar treatment as children could end up with different access to funded medicines purely because of which service delivered their care.
“This common-sense change will mean eligible adolescents and young adults with paediatric-origin cancers can access funded cancer medicines regardless of whether they receive care in a paediatric or adult oncology/haematology service,” he said.
The change follows a Pharmac review of Rule 8.1(b) carried out in 2023. During that consultation, Pharmac said it heard clearly from clinicians and families of children and adolescent cancer patients that the rule was not working well for patients. Today’s decision implements the final recommendation from that review, and Pharmac says it worked with clinical experts and cancer sector stakeholders to make sure the change was practical.
Seymour described pharmaceutical funding decisions more broadly as “life or death, or the difference between a life of pain and suffering or living freely,” calling it a focus of the government.
Certainty during a difficult transition
Brown said the change would give young people with cancer and their families greater certainty at what is already an extremely hard time.
“Young Kiwis with cancer should get treatment based on their clinical needs, not on which service they happen to be treated in,” he said. “Moving from children’s to adult health services is already a big change for a young person. It shouldn’t also change which medicines they can access.”
Brown linked the decision to the government’s broader health targets, noting that faster cancer treatment is one of them, and said a consistent pathway to funded medicines supports that goal.
He also credited the Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Cancer Network Aotearoa and young people with lived experience of cancer for their advocacy, along with families, clinicians, and patient advocates who pushed for the change. “Their voices have helped build a stronger system for young New Zealanders with cancer,” he said.
The new access rules take effect on 14 October.
Source: Beehive.govt.nz.
Photo: “140415-N-XO016-033.jpg” by Commander, U.S. 7th Fleet, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Openverse.
