Source: PHARMAC
Pharmac is seeking feedback on a proposal to widen access to the urate-lowering medicine febuxostat for people with gout.
Gout is a form of arthritis caused by a build-up of uric acid in the body. When uric acid levels become too high, urate crystals can form in and around the joints, leading to painful gout attacks that can cause sudden swelling, redness, and severe pain.
Febuxostat is a urate-lowering medicine that works by reducing the production of uric acid, helping to dissolve existing urate crystals and prevent new crystals from forming. Taking febuxostat can help prevent gout attacks and reduce the risk of long-term joint and kidney damage caused by ongoing crystal build-up.
Pharmac’s Director Pharmaceuticals, Geraldine MacGibbon, says “currently, people must trial two other medicines, allopurinol and probenecid, before becoming eligible for funded febuxostat.”
This proposal would remove the requirement to trial probenecid.
“Pharmac has heard there is strong desire to make febuxostat more widely available for people with gout, because febuxostat only needs to be taken once a day and its dosing can be easier to adjust compared with probenecid. We estimate the proposed changes would mean an additional 5,500 – 7,300 more people per year would access febuxostat.”
Consultation is open from Wednesday 16 September 2026, until midnight Wednesday 30 September 2026.
All feedback received by the closing date will be considered before a final decision is made.
Currently, people must trial two other medicines, allopurinol and probenecid, before becoming eligible for funded febuxostat.
These changes would give patients and clinicians two options for second-line treatment: febuxostat or probenecid. For some people, febuxostat may be the preferred option because it only needs to be taken once a day and it can be easier to adjust the dose if needed.
If the proposal is approved, febuxostat would be funded from 1 February 2027 for people with gout whose symptoms are not well controlled with allopurinol, or who cannot take allopurinol because of adverse effects.
Gout is a form of arthritis caused by a build-up of uric acid in the body. When uric acid levels become too high, urate crystals can form in and around the joints, leading to painful gout attacks that can cause sudden swelling, redness, tenderness, and severe pain.
Around 90% of uric acid levels are influenced by genetic factors and how effectively the kidneys remove uric acid from the body.
If uric acid levels remain elevated, urate crystals can continue to build up over time. Without effective treatment, these crystals may cause permanent joint damage and can also affect kidney health.
Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/09/16/pharmac-seeks-feedback-on-widening-access-to-febuxostat-for-people-with-gout/