Some Dunedin melanoma patients died after they could not access a life-extending cancer drug that looks set to be funded in a couple of months, Dunedin oncologist Chris Jackson says.
The public debate over the Keytruda drug put pressure on the Government, and this week it announced Pharmac will receive $39million extra funding in 2016-17 from this month's Budget.
Also this week, Pharmac released a proposal to fund Opdivo, which is almost identical to the better-known Keytruda.
It could be available on July 1 if approved.
Dr Jackson, who has been publicly pressuring Pharmac in his role as Cancer Society medical director, said some of his patients who could not access the drugs had died.
Several patients in Dunedin could benefit from the drugs now.
"It is urgent for the people currently affected.''
Most New Zealanders could not afford the about $10,000 a month to obtain them privately.
The two drugs were like "Coke and Pepsi'', working in the same way, with the same level of effectiveness.
The choice of which to fund would have been a commercial decision, and oncologists supported Pharmac's prerogative in this area, he said.
Clinical effectiveness was not fully known, as data was still being collected.
However, it was clear they delivered benefits to patients who otherwise had no effective treatment.
For some, it meant long-term remission.
"For the majority, though, it extends life and improves quality significantly over current treatments that we have available.''
The drugs were effective against other tumour types, but initially would be confined to treating melanoma.
"Pharmac will consider in due course whether or not they will increase access in other tumour types . . . bearing in mind that for melanoma there is nothing else.''
Not everyone who suffered from melanoma - i.e. some advanced cases - would benefit from the drug, he said.
