PHARMAC funds Nivolumab (Opdivo) for advanced melanoma
June 10, 2016
MelNet Feedback to PHARMAC
The MelNet Executive Committee feedback to PHARMAC (prior to the announcement below) can be found here.
PHARMAC Announcement and Advice to MelNet
From 1 July 2016, nivolumab (brand name Opdivo) will be funded for people with advanced melanoma. This will be available through their specialist and will be administered via an infusion in a DHB hospital clinic.
“PHARMAC remains open-minded to funding other treatments for melanoma and other types of cancer. PHARMAC will pay close attention to new data and market developments to ensure the best possible funding decisions for New Zealand are made. This includes continuing to work with the supplier of pembrolizumab (Keytruda).
"PHARMAC received high-quality feedback from a range of health sector partners. This has resulted in some changes to the criteria that will help to clarify who is eligible for funded treatment. These are detailed in the notification letter which will be published tomorrow. We will also send this to you via email.
"A number of issues were also raised that PHARMAC is seeking additional advice on from our Cancer Treatments Subcommittee of PTAC (CaTSoP) in September. These include:
- How do we deal with people on long term treatment who stop treatment and then wish to restart if their melanoma starts to progress?
- How do we properly define and deal with pseudoprogression?
- How do we treat people with rapidly progressive disease, considering these patients are unlikely to benefit in time.
"Once we have further advice, we’ll let stakeholders know how these issues are to be resolved.
"More widely, some consultation responses asked for earlier funding of treatments while the consultation period was running; an issue that arises for each and every one of PHARMAC’s funding decisions.
"We acknowledge that people seeking treatment want access as soon as they can, and that waiting is hard."
PHARMAC's notification letter regarding nivolumab (Opdivo), which provides details of the decision and outlines issues raised in feedback on the funding proposal, can be found here.
Sources:
PHARMAC message to MelNet Executive Committee
PHARMAC media release