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"Really great start": Medicine sector welcomes National's proposed funding boost

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Newstalk ZB ,
Publish Date
Wed, 7 Oct 2026, 6:07am
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There's potential for a positive ripple effect as National pledges to boost medicine funding. 

The party's announced it'll cut 10% of the foreign aid budget, using the savings to increase Pharmac's budget by $604 million.  

It would also introduce new cancer cell therapy and lower the bowel screening age to 50 by 2029.  

Medicines NZ CEO Graeme Jarvis told Andrew Dickens medicine's an important part of any health system. 

He says they help with productivity within hospitals, and help with patient outcomes. 

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