New treatment funded for severe gout in New Zealand

Patients with severe gout will soon have a new treatment option as New Zealand’s Pharmaceutical Management Agency PHARMAC will be funding febuxostat (trade name Adenuric) from June 1, 2014.

PHARMAC’s director of operations Sarah Fitt says several pharmaceutical gout treatments are already funded, including allopurinol and probenecid. PHARMAC funded a further treatment for severe gout last year, benzbromarone, although it is an unregistered medicine in New Zealand.

“Our clinical advisory committees have identified a need for additional treatments for severe gout, so it is pleasing to be able to fund febuxostat,” says Ms Fitt, adding: “While most patients are treated effectively with the currently available treatments, this will offer further relief for patients with gout that is more difficult to treat.”