11:39 am today
Māori and Pasifika are at greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
A diabetes organisation is worried about the possible impact of a Pharmac proposal to remove ethnicity as a criteria for several type 2 diabetes drugs.
Māori and Pasifika are at greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes, and in 2021 it was decided to prioritise access to these patients.
Now Pharmac is asking for feedback on changing the Special Authority access. It would reduce the required level of cardiovascular risk for those with type 2 diabetes from 15 to 10 percent, but also remove the criteria allowing Māori and Pasifika access without having to demonstrate specific cardiovascular or renal risk factors.
