5 December 2017 - With the publication of the final issue of the New Zealand Pharmaceutical Schedule for 2017, MAESTrO has examined how many patent protected medicines were approved by PHARMAC for a new patient population (i.e. new indication) this calendar year.

The number/list is rather short:

• Two new indications for rituximab (hairy cell leukaemia and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (re-treatment) in January
  
• One new indication for dexamethasone (diabetic macular oedema) in November
  

MAESTrO will compare and contrast these findings with those for Australia for 2017 in the coming days.