Pharmac considers funding hunger drug

Published at 12:03pm on 6 July 2008 State drug buying agency Pharmac is considering whether it will extend its funding of a drug which helps children combat a disease which leaves them with an insatiable hunger. Around 20 children currently suffer from Prader-Willi syndrome, but only 10 receive the treatment drug which costs up to $20,000 a year. The drug is also used to help extremely short children grow. Pharmac, medical director Dr Peter Moodie says the main clinical committee will discuss the possibility of funding more Prader-Willi cases at the end of... [read full story]