Te Kāhui Hauora IMPB is pushing back on Pharmac’s proposal to remove priority access to type 2 diabetes meds for Māori and Pacific peoples.
Pharmac is proposing to widen access to three type 2 diabetes medicines from August, and we applaud that, but in the process, the criteria that enable access to Māori and Pacific people are to be removed.
Equity mechanisms within the health system did not emerge by accident. They have been developed in response to longstanding evidence that equal treatment within an unequal system was not delivering equitable outcomes for Māori.
Targeted access to SGLT2 inhibitors has demonstrated significant reductions in mortality risk for Māori and Pacific peoples, while earlier treatment may delay progression to dialysis by up to 15 years. This is not preferential treatment. This is clinically justified and potentially life-saving intervention.
The initial two-week consultation period on the proposal has now been extended to Thursday, June 11, 2026. You can have your say here.