- Hon David Seymour
Associate Health Minister David Seymour welcomes Pharmac's decision to fund Trikafta and Alyftrek for children with cystic fibrosis, regardless of their age from 1 April 2026.
Beginning tomorrow Pharmac will:
- Widen funded access to Trikafta for all children with eligible diagnosis (currently only funded for children 6 years and older)
- Widen funded access to Kalydeco for everyone with eligible diagnosis
- Fund access to a new treatment, Alyftrek
"In January Pharmac consulted the public on this proposal. The feedback was positive. So from tomorrow Pharmac are funding those medicines," Mr Seymour says.
"Doctors will use their clinical judgement to prescribe these medicines to any patient who would benefit.
"These treatments are lifechanging for Kiwis living with cystic fibrosis and their families. Children can now access to these lifechanging treatments as soon as clinically appropriate. Cystic fibrosis can cause harm very early in life, so waiting to meet age-based eligibility criteria is not an option.
"In 2023 Pharmac funded Trikafta for children with cystic fibrosis who were 6 years or older in 2023. This left out children under 6 years old with cystic fibrosis. Parents had to choose; wait until children were old enough, pay hundreds of thousands of dollars per year for treatment privately, or move overseas.
"This has been made possible through Pharmac's commitment to working with the cystic fibrosis community. It is a great example of what is possible when Pharmac works alongside patients.
"We're making the system work better for the people it serves. When people can access their medicines easily, they stay healthier for longer. It also reduces pressure on other parts of the health system."
Pharmac's funding decision can be found here: https://www.pharmac.govt.nz/news-and-resources/consultations-and-decisions/2026-03-decision-to-widen-access-to-trikafta-and-kalydeco-and-fund-alyftrek-for-the-treatment-of-cystic-fibrosis
