1 November 2017 - A fund to give Kiwis quicker access to new-generation medicines will be investigated by the Government, a prospect which has left melanoma drug campaigner Leisa Renwick "ecstatic".

Labour repeatedly called for PHARMAC to be funded to set up an "early access" scheme during the push by melanoma patients to have the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab (Keytruda) funded.

Some remortgaged and fundraised to pay about $8,500 every three weeks for the life-extending drug, as PHARMAC cited a lack of evidence about the drug's efficacy.

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