Story: Medicines and remedies

Drug funding demonstration, 2006

Drug funding demonstration, 2006

The New Zealand Pharmaceuticals Management Agency (Pharmac) manages state expenditure on medicines. Some of its decisions are not popular with health consumers. In the early 2000s Pharmac provided the drug Herceptin to women in the late stages of HER2-positive breast cancer. This demonstration was organised to protest against a decision not to provide the treatment to women in the early stages of the disease. Nine weeks’ treatment for early sufferers was provided in 2007, and the new National-led government extended the treatment to 12 months in 2008.

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New Zealand Herald
Reference: 310706NZHGPJHERCEPTIN01.JPG
Photograph by Glenn Jeffrey

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How to cite this page:

Pauline Norris and Rosemary Beresford, 'Medicines and remedies - Access to medicines, 1993 to 21st century', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/28232/drug-funding-demonstration-2006 (accessed 28 April 2024)

Story by Pauline Norris and Rosemary Beresford, published 5 May 2011, reviewed & revised 23 May 2018, updated 1 Apr 2020