Lung cancer drug known as Tagrisso or Osimertini is still without funding. Photo:
Certain cancer drugs the government promised to fund as part of its election campaign remain unfunded despite a $600 million funding boost.
Taxi driver Akhil Chaudhary has lung cancer, but is still waiting for Pharmac to deliver the drug he needs.
Lung cancer drug Tagrisso or Osimertini was supposed to be one of the first to receive this much needed funding, however it had not, and Chaudhary was forced to buy the drug himself.
Currently he was paying $1300 a week for medication, funded largely through public donations.
"I have spent $90,000. Ninety-nine percent of this is through a Givealittle page," he said.
"The people of New Zealand have been really great. They helped me. So far and I still need their help and compassion to help me through this difficult period."
Earlier this year the government announced a $600m boost in funding for cancer drugs, however it was not clear whether or when the drugs Chaudhary needed would receive funding.
It was very disappointing to find out the government would not confirm whether the drug would be funded by early next year, Chaudhary said.
The government was playing with peoples lives, he said.
Chaudhary said he had reached out to health minister Shane Reti, ACT Party leader David Seymour, and Pharmac, but he had not been given a timeframe for the drug's funding.
The government had completely let cancer patients down, he said.
