The government's drug funding agency Pharmac and the pharmaceutical company Astra Zeneca have reached an agreement to continue supplying a breast and prostrate cancer drug.
Astra Zeneca withdrew the drug Zoladex altogether after Pharmac reduced subsidies for the treatment dose for prostate cancer by 20%.
Pharmac's medical director Dr Peter Moodie says he's pleased patients will continue to have access to the medicine following Monday's discussions. And the general manager of AstraZeneca, Lance Gravatt, says he's also pleased to have the issue resolved.
The agreement is currently only verbal and subject to final approval.
Earlier, oncologists said their patients were feeling confused and scared over the sudden withdrawal of the proven drug Zoladex.
The withdrawal from the New Zealand market was without warning for oncologists and their patients.
There is only one alternative to Zoladex which is Lucrin; sold by a rival company that bargained AstraZeneca out of the market. Health professionals are unsure about Lucrin's effectiveness in fighting breast cancer.
Auckland breast surgeon Dr Belinda Scott said the new drug is a complete unknown for her patients and Pharmac was playing with women's lives.
Auckland Hospital oncologist Dr Vernon Harvey said some of his patients are anxious and distressed. He said the patients already have enough to deal with having cancer, without having to worry about their treatment.
While breast cancer patients are in the dark about how Lucrin may help them, some prostate cancer patients already know how it effects them.
Nelson patient, Mike Millstein, says he reacted badly to Lucrin when he was prescribed the drug.
Pharmacies were advised of the drug's withdrawal late last week by fax from Pharmac. Pharmacy Guild president Steve Wise said some patients may not find out about the change until they arrive at the pharmacy with their prescription. He said patients are generally the last to know.
Pharmac says Lucrin is a safe and effective alternative to Zoladex, and was approved by Medsafe in October as a treatment for breast cancer. Moodie says Lucrin is a suitable breast cancer treatment and women should not worry.
Moodie says Pharmac had kept the full subsidy on the Zoladex dose used to treat breast cancer and he was disappointed at AstraZeneca's move to withdraw the drug altogether.
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