Hutchison Paul: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Hutchison Paul: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:617;Page:12924] 
11.  
Dr PAUL HUTCHISON (National—Port Waikato) 
 to the  
Minister of Health 
: Does she agree that on past experience a significant number of New Zealanders would have a heart attack suffer a stroke or die as a result of being forced to change cholesterol-lowering statins as stated by leading New Zealand cardiologists; if not why not? 
Hon RUTH DYSON (Acting Minister of Health) 
: 
 The Hon Annette King met with Harvey White and Chris Ellis on 31 March of this year—the cardiologists referred to in the primary question. At that meeting they recommended that all high-risk patients on 40 milligrams or more be permitted to access atorvastatin via a specialist. Pharmac will allow even wider access than they recommended. All patients currently on 40 milligrams or more will continue on atorvastatin and all new patients who cannot tolerate simvastatin can have access to atorvastatin. This wider access is what the Heart Foundation and the Cardiac Society recommended. 
Dr Paul Hutchison 
: Does the Minister think it risky given the strong conflicting evidence on Pharmac’s safety claims that Pharmac intends not to audit what will happen when the remaining 30000 patients switch statins; and will she take responsibility for creating another possible Gisborne scenario where inadequate quality controls lead to preventable deaths? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: No. In my view it is entirely proper and certainly not risky to rely on the expert advice of New Zealand’s leading cardiologists. That is exactly what Pharmac has done. 
Steve Chadwick 
: Has Pharmac considered other leading cardiologists and health professional organisations regarding access to atorvastatin? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: Yes it certainly has. Pharmac has consulted the following cardiologists: Norman Sharpe the President of the Heart Foundation; Stuart Mann a professor of cardiology; and Gerald Wilkins the President of the New Zealand Cardiac Society. Pharmac also has sought advice from the Pharmacology and Therapeutics Advisory Committee cardiac subcommittee which includes three other cardiologists: John Elliot Miles Williams and Gary Gordon. Pharmac is following their recommendations. 
Peter Brown 
: Is the Minister aware that in many areas of the world chelation therapy is recognised as a safe and practical treatment for potential heart attack and stroke victims; if she is aware of that would she consider a practical trial in this country consisting of volunteers? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: That is a little wide of the original question. The Minister may comment. 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: I do not have any information or advice about whether a formal proposal has been received by the Ministry of Health along those lines but I would be certainly happy to forward it for consideration. 
Heather Roy 
: In light of concerns about heart disease does the Minister take any responsibility for Pfizer terminating its $40 million research and development contract grant to Auckland University; if not why not? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: I am certainly disappointed that Pfizer has taken that decision. But Pharmac advised Pfizer of its decision in 2002 following which Pfizer renewed its contract with Auckland University. 
Bernie Ogilvy 
: Does the Minister concede that any financial savings made from Pharmac’s decision to switch 23000 New Zealanders over to Lipex will be totally outweighed by the social economic and health costs resulting from any heart attacks strokes or deaths as a result of the move; if not why not? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: No I do not support that assertion. That decision was made on the basis of recommendations from New Zealand’s leading cardiologists. 
Dr Paul Hutchison 
: Does she realise that past experience shows that approximately 10 percent of patients on a drug such as Lipitor when asked to switch medication will simply stop taking drugs altogether; and given the clear warnings in the literature which she has not quoted is she prepared to take responsibility for the heart attacks strokes and deaths likely to result? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: As I indicated in my answer to the primary question from that member on advice from New Zealand’s leading cardiologists Pharmac has agreed to continue with the provision of access to atorvastatin for those high-risk patients. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: What confidence are the New Zealand people expected to have in Pharmac which saved over $27 million last year by cutting back on drugs and this year is no longer pursuing a policy to ensure that in every case New Zealand consumers have First World latest-generation drugs available to them? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: Pharmac is internationally regarded as a very high-quality and safe way to ensure that the massive pressures from various drug companies and our need to retain access to high-quality medicines are balanced. 
Dr Paul Hutchison 
: I seek leave to table two papers. The first is an article from a 2003  
British Medical Journal 
 that demonstrates the considerable risks associated with inadequate statin medication. 
Document by leave laid on the Table of the House. 
The second is an article from  
The Lancet 
 that shows morbidity—as shown in a New Zealand study—when patients changed statins. 
Document not tabled.