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Time of India
24-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
New Zealand Budget 2025 deals a big blow to blood cancer patients
In New Zealand , approximately 2,800 people are diagnosed with blood cancer each year. Yet, the government's 2025 Budget has once again failed to allocate new funding for these critical drugs, leaving thousands of patients facing limited treatment options and uncertain futures. Unlike many other cancers, blood cancers such as leukaemia cannot be treated with surgery or radiation as they rely almost entirely on medicines. Blood cancer patients, advocates, and doctors have voiced deep frustration and alarm. In a joint statement, Leukaemia and Blood Cancer New Zealand, the Blood Cancer Alliance, and the Cancer Society warned that the Budget "locks in four more years of denied access and patient harm." They emphasised that while the government is 're-celebrating' last year's funding boost, that money is already allocated, meaning no new treatments will be funded. Tim Edmonds, chief executive of Leukaemia and Blood Cancer New Zealand, highlighted the gap between promises and reality. 'Only 180 blood cancer patients benefited from last year's funding boost, i.e less than 1 per cent of all New Zealanders living with a blood cancer,' Live Events Edmonds said. 'This Budget was a chance to deliver on promises to improve access to cancer medicines , but once again, blood cancer patients have been left behind. For many patients who had hoped for good news today, waiting another year may simply not be an option.' This concern echoes a stark warning sent to the government in March by more than 50 haematologists, describing the current funding approach as a 'fundamental health policy failure.' The letter highlighted a dangerous erosion of trust, low morale among clinicians, and avoidable deaths caused by delays in funding clinically proven medicines. Dr. Rodger Tiedemann, one of the letter's signatories and a consultant haematologist, expressed his disappointment bluntly: 'It's clear from Budget 2025 that we were ignored. When did it become okay for the New Zealand government to overlook the needs of New Zealanders with blood cancer?' New Zealand currently ranks near the bottom of the OECD in access to modern medicines for blood cancer. Nicola Coom, chief executive of the Cancer Society, emphasized that medicines are the primary treatment option for this group of patients. 'This growing group has been left behind again. Relying on private fundraising and GoFundMe campaigns is not a solution. New Zealand must do better and fund blood cancer medicines. This budget has let this group down.' The human toll is vividly illustrated by individuals like Rob Crozier, 77, from Ōtaki, diagnosed with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia (CLL) at age 54. Despite being on private health insurance that costs him $13,000 annually, which covers some unfunded drugs, Crozier worries about others who cannot afford such coverage. 'You can't treat leukaemia with surgery or radiation, which are options for other cancers; it can only be done with medicine,' he said. 'There are all these fantastic new medicines out there, but you can only access them if you're super rich. And I'm not super rich.' Crozier's decades-long advocacy for better funding brought him to Parliament on Budget Day, holding onto a hope that this year might bring change. 'We had hoped for even a modest increase in funding, but we've been disappointed again,' he said. This year's Budget once again missed the mark for blood cancer patients, reinforcing a painful reality: while promising new treatments exist, the barriers to access leave many New Zealanders suffering with blood cancer. Economic Times WhatsApp channel )
RNZ News
23-05-2025
- Health
- RNZ News
Budget 2025 leaves blood cancer patients behind
Lack of new funding for blood cancer medicines worrying for patients. Photo: 123RF Blood cancer patients, advocates and doctors say the lack of new funding for medicines in the Budget locks in four more years of "denied access and patient harm". There was a huge public backlash after last year's Budget failed to include promised funding for more cancer drugs, forcing the government to subsequently announce an extra $604 million for Pharmac over four years. However, Leukaemia and Blood Cancer New Zealand, the Blood Cancer Alliance, and the Cancer Society said while the government was "re-celebrating" last year's announcements, that money was already allocated, which meant there was no money for new treatments. In a joint statement, they have called on the government to clear Pharmac's "backlog" of unfunded medicines. Leukaemia and Blood Cancer New Zealand chief executive Tim Edmonds said only 180 blood cancer patients benefited from last year's funding boost - less than 1 percent of all New Zealanders living with a blood cancer. "This Budget was a chance to deliver on promises to improve access to cancer medicines but once again, blood cancer patients have been left behind. "For many patients who had hoped for good news today, waiting another year may simply not be an option." A letter to the government in March, signed by more than 50 haematologists, raised concerns about how funding was being prioritised by Pharmac and described the situation as a "fundamental health policy failure". They warned of eroding trust, low morale, and avoidable deaths due to delays in funding clinically proven medicines. One of its signatories, consultant haematologist Rodger Tiedemann, said New Zealand languished at the bottom of the OECD for access to modern medicines. "It's clear from Budget 2025 that we were ignored. When did it become okay for the New Zealand government to overlook the needs of New Zealanders with blood cancer?" Every year approximately 2800 people are diagnosed with blood cancer in New Zealand, and there was currently no way to prevent or screen those cancers. Cancer Society chief executive Nicola Coom said medicines were the primary treatment option for them. "This growing group has been left behind again. Relying on private fundraising and GoFundMe campaigns is not a solution. "New Zealand must do better and fund blood cancer medicines. This budget has let this group down." Ōtaki resident Rob Crozier, 77, was diagnosed with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia (CLL) at 54. Now 77, he is still paying $13,000 a year for health insurance, which pays for unfunded drugs approved in New Zealand. "But that's not an option for everyone, and I don't know whether they actually still offer that kind of insurance." He was at Parliament for Budget Day as a trustee of CLL New Zealand, having lobbied for years for better funding for treatments. "I was corresponding with the previous Health Minister Dr Shane Reti, who said he was waiting for the Cancer Control Agency report on availability of blood cancer medicines , which came out last year. "So we had hoped for even a modest increase in funding, but we've been disappointed again." Crozier said the unequal treatment of blood cancer patients compared with patients with solid tumours was particularly unfair given the lack of alternatives. "You can't treat leukaemia with surgery or radiation, which are options for other cancers, it can only be done with medicine. "There are all these fantastic new medicines out there, but you can only access them if you're super rich. And I'm not super rich." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
23-05-2025
- Health
- RNZ News
Budget leaves blood cancer patients behind
Lack of new funding for blood cancer medicines worrying for patients. Photo: 123RF Blood cancer patients, advocates and doctors say the lack of new funding for medicines in the Budget locks in four more years of "denied access and patient harm". There was a huge public backlash after last year's Budget failed to include promised funding for more cancer drugs, forcing the government to subsequently announce an extra $604 million for Pharmac over four years. However, Leukaemia and Blood Cancer New Zealand, the Blood Cancer Alliance, and the Cancer Society said while the government was "re-celebrating" last year's announcements, that money was already allocated, which meant there was no money for new treatments. In a joint statement, they have called on the government to clear Pharmac's "backlog" of unfunded medicines. Leukaemia and Blood Cancer New Zealand chief executive Tim Edmonds said only 180 blood cancer patients benefited from last year's funding boost - less than 1 percent of all New Zealanders living with a blood cancer. "This Budget was a chance to deliver on promises to improve access to cancer medicines but once again, blood cancer patients have been left behind. "For many patients who had hoped for good news today, waiting another year may simply not be an option." A letter to the government in March, signed by more than 50 haematologists, raised concerns about how funding was being prioritised by Pharmac and described the situation as a "fundamental health policy failure". They warned of eroding trust, low morale, and avoidable deaths due to delays in funding clinically proven medicines. One of its signatories, consultant haematologist Rodger Tiedemann, said New Zealand languished at the bottom of the OECD for access to modern medicines. "It's clear from Budget 2025 that we were ignored. When did it become okay for the New Zealand government to overlook the needs of New Zealanders with blood cancer?" Every year approximately 2800 people are diagnosed with blood cancer in New Zealand, and there was currently no way to prevent or screen those cancers. Cancer Society chief executive Nicola Coom said medicines were the primary treatment option for them. "This growing group has been left behind again. Relying on private fundraising and GoFundMe campaigns is not a solution. "New Zealand must do better and fund blood cancer medicines. This budget has let this group down." Ōtaki resident Rob Crozier, 77, was diagnosed with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia (CLL) at 54. Now 77, he is still paying $13,000 a year for health insurance, which pays for unfunded drugs approved in New Zealand. "But that's not an option for everyone, and I don't know whether they actually still offer that kind of insurance." He was at Parliament for Budget Day as a trustee of CLL New Zealand, having lobbied for years for better funding for treatments. "I was corresponding with the previous Health Minister Dr Shane Reti, who said he was waiting for the Cancer Control Agency report on availability of blood cancer medicines , which came out last year. "So we had hoped for even a modest increase in funding, but we've been disappointed again." Crozier said the unequal treatment of blood cancer patients compared with patients with solid tumours was particularly unfair given the lack of alternatives. "You can't treat leukaemia with surgery or radiation, which are options for other cancers, it can only be done with medicine. "There are all these fantastic new medicines out there, but you can only access them if you're super rich. And I'm not super rich." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
