Budget 2026 keeps Pharmac afloat, but leaves breast cancer patients waiting

The Government’s Budget announcement today of an additional $54 million for Pharmac over four years falls short of what’s needed to improve access to essential breast cancer medicines.

While the funding will help Pharmac manage rising global supply and medicine costs, it does little to address the growing number of New Zealanders being forced to self-fund treatment because the medicines they need are not publicly available.

Ah-Leen Rayner, Breast Cancer Foundation NZ’s chief executive, says the announcement largely maintains the status quo, rather than tackling the long-term challenges facing cancer care in New Zealand.

“This funding helps Pharmac manage rising global supply and cost pressures, but it does not meaningfully improve access to new medicines for patients. Keeping the lights on is not a long-term solution,” Ah-Leen says.

Too many people with breast cancer are still being forced to shoulder the cost of unfunded medicines themselves – draining savings, fundraising publicly, or going without treatment altogether.

Meanwhile, breast cancer treatments remain unfunded even though Pharmac has assessed them as cost-effective.

“These are treatments that could give people more time and better quality of life, yet they remain out of reach for many patients,” Ah-Leen adds.

This Budget also misses a crucial opportunity to address the growing pressure facing our health system as cancer diagnoses continue to rise. New Zealand continues to underinvest in medicines compared with similar countries, and patients are living with the consequences every day.

Breast Cancer Foundation NZ will continue advocating for improved access to breast cancer medicines and sustainable long-term investment in Pharmac.