Pacific people who are more than twice at risk of having anaphylaxis through food allergy compared to Maori and Asian populations, can now have peace of mind knowing from today they will have access to two funded EpiPens, which would otherwise cost between $100 – $350 and last for 12-18 months.
This announcement comes following a consultation from Pharmac in 2022.
Bindi Norwell, ProCare Group CEO, says: “We are delighted Pharmac has agreed to fund two EpiPens for anaphylaxis sufferers from today. This is a huge relief for whānau who live with someone or experience anaphylaxis themselves. For some, the financial burden was forcing them to make the difficult decision to risk going without it.”
Allan Moffitt, Clinical Director at ProCare, says: “This announcement will grant peace of mind to those who have underlying health conditions and our Pacific people.
“Given the increasing incidence for food allergies and anaphylaxis (for some populations this has increased three-fold in the past ten years), we are very pleased to see Pharmac has moved to subsidise this lifesaving treatment,” concludes Moffitt.
Pharmac noted several of ProCare’s recommendations and have adjusted the prescribers to include relevant health professionals as well as General Practitioners.
