Home Forums Main Forum Patient Stories Harvoni subsidy starts on Feb 1st in New Zealand..

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  • #5114
    Devil
    • Topics: 1
    • Replies: 6
    • Total: 7
    • Novice
    @devil

    Sorry if this is wrong folder…..A friend from another similar forum suggested I join here as well….I am an Aussie…;))

    On Feb 1st 2016 Harvoni will cost about $125 per week in New Zealand……..

    Please do your own Due Diligence prior to travel…..Be sure to check if you can take the medication back to your country…

    Contact info for gov health in New Zealand if you have questions…..

    email the Ministry at info@health.govt.nz
    or phone: 0800 855 066.

    http://www.health.govt.nz/new-zealand-health-system/eligibility-publicly-funded-health-services/eligibility-questions-and-answers-consumers

    #5120
    Avatar photoChapel
    • Guardian Angel
    • ★★★★★
    @chapel

    Hello, this would be amazing if true. Nothing about it on the links provided, can you provide a verifiable source?


    M, 57, Live in Wellington,NZ.
    Genotype 1a diagnosed in 2013.
    Treating for the first time since October 31 with Buyers Club Sof/Led. Thanks so much guys. Minimal side effects apart from sore throat at the start..
    Viral load 5.4m when treatment started, Undetected at 4 weeks, 8 weeks, End of Treatment and 12-weeks post EOT. Yay!

    #5126
    Devil
    • Topics: 1
    • Replies: 6
    • Total: 7
    • Novice
    @devil

    My partner is in NZ…..She spoke to a chemist(drug store) and to a doctor yesterday….. The doctor was in person as she was there anyways….

    Harvoni is to be listed on the NZ version of Australia’s PBS from the 1st of February…..This means that the NZ will cover most of the cost….
    Australia could be doing the same thing soon…..Currently 28 pills costs about 23K here…..

    I am personally looking to start on Harvoni in mid Feb….

    #5128
    Avatar photoklhilde
    • Guardian Angel
    • ★★★★★
    @klhilde

    Just to be clear …. are you saying that the actual price of a bottle is to be $125 or are you saying that it’s a co-pay of $125 with the New Zealand government picking up the rest of the cost? If the latter, then the info is useful only to New Zealanders.

    Also, we know from experience the general results of a “wait, wait, wait” strategy. Unless you actually have ZERO other options do not wait.

    Edit: OOPs … I misread you. That’s $125 per week not per bottle.
    $125 x 12 = $1500
    That’s about US$1000, or really not much less than it’s available for right now.

    And the question about cost or co-pay still stands.
    And what if you prefer Daclatasvir?

    #5129
    Devil
    • Topics: 1
    • Replies: 6
    • Total: 7
    • Novice
    @devil
    klhilde wrote:

    Just to be clear …. are you saying that the actual price of a bottle is to be $125 or are you saying that it’s a co-pay of $125 with the New Zealand government picking up the rest of the cost? If the latter, then the info is useful only to New Zealanders.

    Also, we know from experience the general results of a “wait, wait, wait” strategy. Unless you actually have ZERO other options do not wait.

    Edit: OOPs … I misread you. That’s $125 per week not per bottle.
    $125 x 12 = $1500
    That’s about US$1000, or really not much less than it’s available for right now.

    And the question about cost or co-pay still stands.
    And what if you prefer Daclatisvir?

    It all depends where you live mate……$1500 as against 23k is great news for Aussies…..

    As I understand it…..It will be like any usual medication which cost say $30 and not $300 cos the Gov pays the $270…..
    I guess you don’t have that system in USA??…

    #5131
    Avatar photoChapel
    • Guardian Angel
    • ★★★★★
    @chapel

    Much as I would like NZ to fund meds for all its Hep C patients – and Australia’s while we are at it, it has been assumed that any Pharmac funding would be `sickest first,’ otherwise the financial strain would be great. I will wait for a formal announcement on this $125 per week rumour from a chemist and doctor.


    M, 57, Live in Wellington,NZ.
    Genotype 1a diagnosed in 2013.
    Treating for the first time since October 31 with Buyers Club Sof/Led. Thanks so much guys. Minimal side effects apart from sore throat at the start..
    Viral load 5.4m when treatment started, Undetected at 4 weeks, 8 weeks, End of Treatment and 12-weeks post EOT. Yay!

    #5132
    Avatar photoTina-Hill-facebook
    • Guardian Angel
    • ★★★★★
    @tina-hill-facebook

    Hi Devil..Ive had a look on Pharmacs website and there is no notification there..would you mind providing the link as its Pharmacs decision to subsidise treatment and as I was aware Pharmac are in the process of reviewing submissions from relevant pharmaceutical providers.

    Ive also looked on The Hepatitis Foundation of New Zealands page and there is nothing there either..


    SVR 24

    #5133
    Avatar photoklhilde
    • Guardian Angel
    • ★★★★★
    @klhilde

    No, the US is an insurance based system not a single payer system … but I’m not talking about the politics of the situation. I’m talking about money and availability.

    I can’t imagine that Gilead has actually agreed to that price. So some government body is picking up the majority of the cost.
    Can Aussies buy their meds and have New Zealand’s system pick up the tab?
    Do you really believe that these costs won’t force the treatments to be triaged?

    Generics are the medical equal to the brand name in every way. They are not inferior.
    They are available NOW. They cost only a small amount more than this “maybe, possibly, in the future, maybe” price.

    I don’t understand why anyone would wait.

    ******* And to top it off, if you buy the generics you are taking a big burden off of your government’s budget. It’s patriotic to buy generics! And screw Gilead.

    #5134
    Avatar photozhuk
    • Guardian Angel
    • ★★★★★
    @zhuk

    Nothing on the Hepatitis Foundation of NZ’s site about it :unsure:

    Sovaldi is a new drug which has had very high cure rates during clinical studies. It is used for treating genotypes 1, 2, 3 and 4, in combination with pegylated interferon and/or ribavirin. It is expected to be funded in New Zealand in two to three years.

    http://www.hepatitisfoundation.org.nz/index.php/hepc/treatment/

    And Harvoni is available, just not on their version of the PBS (PHARMAC), according to the site’s FAQ. If there is a source suggesting otherwise, definitely post it up!

    Do you know when is Pharmac likely to look into funding the latest treatments such as Harvoni or Sovaldi? Also, I noticed some European countries like France and Germany have negotiated discounted prices with Gilead, is the NZ government likely to follow France and Germany initiative in the near future and start looking at making a deal with Gilead ?
    Unfortunately we cannot comment on when PHARMAC will make a decision about funding these new hepatitis C drugs as we are not privy to this information, nor can we sway the outcome. We are not involved in the PHARMAC decision-making process.

    What is the cost of Harvoni?
    The approximate cost of Harvoni is NZ$26,000 (excl. GST) for a bottle of 28 tablets, which is a one month supply. This may vary as different pharmacies may charge different costs. Harvoni treatment varies between 8 weeks and 24 weeks, so it could cost between NZ$52,000 (excl. GST) to NZ$156,000 (excl. GST).

    Is Harvoni available in New Zealand?
    Yes, Harvoni, a combination of sofosbuvir and ledipasvir, has been approved by New Zealand’s Medsafe, which means it is available in New Zealand. It is not funded by PHARMAC so users will have to pay for Harvoni.

    http://www.hepatitisfoundation.org.nz/index.php/hepc/faq/


    GT1a since 1988, diagnosed 1990
    F0, tx naive
    VL 262,000 ALT 40 AST 26 GGT 13 Fibroscan 04/12/15 – 2.9
    Started Mesochem sof/dac 12 weeks 01/01/2016
    11/02/2016 – 6 weeks UNDETECTED
    AST 26
    ALT 26

    #5135
    Avatar photoTina-Hill-facebook
    • Guardian Angel
    • ★★★★★
    @tina-hill-facebook

    My thoughts exactly Zhuk,


    SVR 24

    #5137
    Avatar photoTina-Hill-facebook
    • Guardian Angel
    • ★★★★★
    @tina-hill-facebook

    Yep! looking at the Pharmac recommendation as advised by Prof Ed Gane when and if DAA’s are to be rolled out in New Zealand the sickest patients are treated first so all pre and post liver transplant patients and F4’s. When I read the pharmac report was when I decided not to leave my fate in someone elses hands and why should I have to be nearly dead until I MAY receive treatment. I stick by my choice to use generics.


    SVR 24

    #5142
    Avatar photozhuk
    • Guardian Angel
    • ★★★★★
    @zhuk

    Exactly my thoughts too, Tina. All those still pushing the suggestion that DAA’s will be available universally for all when are approved are living in a fool’s paradise IMO. For those of us not “sick enough” yet, to wait and watch our livers slowly fail over time, just so we might eventually be eligible for treatment…I dunno, haven’t we all lost enough years of health already? Act if you can act, and now – before this lifeline is cut short.

    And I love your angle, klhilde…damn straight generics are patriotic! lol

    aussie-flag.jpg


    GT1a since 1988, diagnosed 1990
    F0, tx naive
    VL 262,000 ALT 40 AST 26 GGT 13 Fibroscan 04/12/15 – 2.9
    Started Mesochem sof/dac 12 weeks 01/01/2016
    11/02/2016 – 6 weeks UNDETECTED
    AST 26
    ALT 26

    #5161
    avatar876.jpegGaj
    • Guardian Angel
    • ★★★★★
    @gaj

    Hi Devil,

    Welcome. I suspect your post got everyone going because no one wants to give people false hope.

    I think what everyone is trying to say is they doubt it will be that easy to access if the promise of 1st Feb by the doctor is actually met by the NZ govt. The costs of access for all would be astronomical even if restricted to New Zealanders and maybe their partners. So what will happen is that only the very sickest will get it now and the rest gradually over many years,maybe, which will be pretty much the same as the Australian situation give or take a few months.

    It would be great if it happened like that but most of us have heard similar promises before that didn’t eventuate so we’ve decided to stop waiting and buy our own tested generic medication.

    Anyway, stick around, have a read, ask questions.

    G

    (BTW Generic basically just means that it is not branded. The same ingredients and tested to make sure they are.)


    G3a since ’78 – Dx ’12 – F4 (2xHCC)
    24wk Tx – PEG/Riba/Dac 2013 relapsed
    24wk Tx – Generic Sof/Dac/Riba 2015/16 relapsed
    16wk Tx – 12/01/17 -> 03/05/17 NS3/NS5a + Generic Sof
    SVR7 – 22/06/17 UND
    SRV12 – 27/07/17 UND
    SVR24 – 26/10/17 UND
    :cheer: :cheer: :cheer:

    #5224
    Devil
    • Topics: 1
    • Replies: 6
    • Total: 7
    • Novice
    @devil

    The website provides CURRENT information…..Not information for a month or a year down the track….

    I told you all where my info came from……If you all too lazy to contact NZ health and verify for yourself that it’s true then I can’t help you….

    I came here only to pass on what I thought was information people who cant afford thousands of dollars would want and find useful….
    I did NOT come here to be questioned and treated like I made it all up….

    #5231
    Avatar photoAlsdad
    • Guardian Angel
    • ★★★★★
    @alsdad

    I have moved this thread into Patient Stories and locked it for now. If someone can verify the story with a media article, please contact me via pm, and I’ll move it back into Media and re-open it.

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