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Cancer doctors are welcoming the funding of 13 new cancer drugs, but say with potentially 175,000 cancer patients getting them in the first year, the system for administering them won't cope.
Pharmac has received an additional $604 million to cover "up to 54" new medicines including 26 cancer treatments.
Health Minister Shane Reti says it will mean the agency can fund all 13 cancer drugs promised at the election, or replacements that are "as good or better", and will benefit about 175,000 people in the first year.
Dr Kate Gregory, medical oncologist and co-Medical Director of the Cancer Society, says there are already delays in some centres for cancer patients to get infusions.
She says there are already workforce shortages and pressure on laboratories, and she wants to see the funding and adoption of sub-cutaneous injections of some medicines, which are quicker and can be injected at home or in the community.
