Dear Pharmaceutical Management Agency,

According to the 2023 Year in Review report,
Gross spend on immunosuppressants, increased 11% from 2020-2023, from $280.3 million to $311.3 million.
Gross spend on chemotherapeutic agents increased 48% from $103.9 million to $154.2 million.
Gross spend on diabetes medication increased 93% from $75.8 million to $146.6 million.
https://pharmac.govt.nz/assets/Year-in-R...

It is unclear how Pharmac analyses the costs of comorbidity to assess the total cost of illness in New Zealand.
Please share with New Zealand public, the most up to date advice, reports, and information advising:
a. For people prescribed immunosuppressants, the most predominant associated health conditions (in data/percentages).
b. For people prescribed chemotherapeutic agents, data on types and prevalence of associated comorbid health conditions (in data/percentages) and data on costs of medicines commonly co-prescribed.
c. For people prescribed diabetes medication, data on types and prevalence of associated comorbid health conditions (in data/percentages) and data on costs of medicines commonly co-prescribed.
d. General information held by Pharmac on the costs of multimorbidity and/or metabolic syndrome.

Thank you

Yours faithfully,

Jodie Bruning.