POSITION STATEMENT ON CGM FUNDING

We collectively urge the New Zealand Government to support Pharmac to fully fund Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) technology for all New Zealanders living on insulin to improve health outcomes and promote equitable care for people with diabetes.

Glucose monitoring is one of the most difficult and intrusive parts of living with diabetes.  CGM technology offers people with diabetes less painful and less disruptive ways of monitoring blood glucose levels. CGM improves glucose control and quality of life, reduces diabetes distress and saves lives, and is the basic standard of care worldwide.

CGM is cost effective and allows for precision management in diabetes. Better overall glucose levels provide the opportunity to reduce the risk of complications such as stroke, cardiovascular disease, renal failure, lower limb amputations and blindness.  

On behalf of all New Zealanders with diabetes and their whānau, we ask the Government for full funding for:

• -         Modern lifesaving diabetes technology including CGMs and insulin pumps for all New Zealanders living with type 1 diabetes.

• -         Modern glucose monitoring technologies like CGMs for all people with type 2 diabetes who manage their diabetes with insulin and have higher risk for hypoglycaemia and small and large blood vessel disease; including Māori or Pacific people, those diagnosed at a young age, and around pregnancy.

These actions will promote equitable health outcomes for

 Māori, Pacific, and low-income New Zealanders.