Tafamidis and amyloidosis

3 February 2020

[Name and contact details withheld] 

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION: TAFAMIDIS AND AMYLOIDOSIS 

Thank you for your email of 8 January 2020, requesting information about the pharmaceutical Tafamidis and its use in the control of amyloidosis.  

In September 2018, PHARMAC received an application to fund Tafamidis.  PHARMAC staff then sought clinical advice from PHARMAC’s Pharmacology and Therapeutics Advisory Committee (PTAC), and from its Cardiovascular and Rare Disorders Subcommittees.  Minutes of the meetings are available on: https://pharmac.govt.nz/about/expert-advice/pharmacology-and-therapeutics-advisory-committee-ptac/

The funding application and clinical advice obtained are now being assessed by PHARMAC using its Factors for Consideration framework. More information about the Factors for Consideration can be found on: https://pharmac.govt.nz/medicine-funding-and-supply/the-funding-process/policies-manuals-and-processes/factors-for-consideration/

This assessment process aims to inform a comparison of Tafamidis with other possible funding options, so that PHARMAC can rank its funding accordingly.  The relative ranking of funding options is essential for supporting PHARMAC’s objective of securing the best health outcomes for all New Zealanders for its pharmaceutical budget. 

While there is no guarantee when or if Tafamidis will be funded by PHARMAC, you can follow the progress of the funding application on PHARMAC’s Application Tracker on: https://connect.pharmac.govt.nz/apptracker/s/global-search/Tafamidis(external link)

We trust that this response and PHARMAC’s website resources provide you with useful information.  We are making our information more freely available, so we will now publish selected OIA responses (excluding personal details) on our website.  Please get in touch with us if you have any questions about this.

Yours sincerely

Rachel Read
Policy Manager, Engagement and Implementation