It's official - Pharmac will fund the life-changing cystic fibrosis [CF] drug Trikafta from the beginning of April.
Advocates and campaigners have ploughed huge amounts of time and effort into securing this drug and for years it came to nothing, despite evidence showing there was a huge cost-benefit in funding the drug and it drastically improved quality of life.
Today FM first spoke about Pharmac when they were looking to fund the drug in early December. But when Lloyd Burr spoke to Pharmac's CEO Sarah Fitt just over a week later, she cast doubt over whether they would actually make this drug available to people.
"That's entirely possible [we won't fund it]," Fitt told Burr.
"That would be hopefully very unlikely but it's not unheard of for us to issue a proposal for a consultation and us get feedback and then it not go ahead."
So Tuesday's news that the drug will be funded for all people over six years old with cystic fibrosis is particularly welcome in the community.
The CEO of Cystic Fibrosis New Zealand, Lisa Burns, told Lloyd Burr this announcement is a "huge relief" for the community.
"There have been a number of emotions and anxiety running quite high since December with confusion and I think now this just provides certainty and it's what our families needed," Burns said.
"We knew all along that this would be a life-changing medicine and that's the reason that we've been advocating so hard for it.
"Talking about it as an investment, not a cost, this medicine has the chance to change lives, not just for the person with the CF, but for their family and in their whānau who can perhaps return to work, who can be less stuck in hospital for ongoing treatments.
"The changes that this is going to make for people's lives who are eligible for this medicine, will be significant."
Listen to the full interview between Lisa Burns and Lloyd Burr above.
You can also download the full interview on the Lloyd Burr Live podcast, and listen on the go.
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