Pharmac funding

Over thisweek, there have been some negative comments about Pharmac’s ‘‘choices’’ when it comes to funding life-sustaining drugs ( My

brother is dying while this drug could save him, Sept 26).

I’d like to understand how the Pharmac budget is controlled. First, the costs to the manufacturers of the research and development and then the government funding, ie, the amount in taxeswe are prepared to pay.

I, for one, would love to know how much extra in tax Iwould have to pay for Pharmac to be able to finance all the drugs that it is being asked to finance. How do other countries manage this?

Janet Russell, Wellington