Pharmac wants to make it easier for people with gout to get the medicine febuxostat funded, the drug-buying agency said on 16 September.
Right now, people have to try two other medicines, allopurinol and probenecid, before febuxostat is funded. The proposal would drop the requirement to try probenecid.
If it goes ahead, febuxostat would be funded from 1 February 2027 for people whose gout isn't well controlled on allopurinol, or who can't take allopurinol because of side effects.
Pharmac estimates the change would mean 5,500 to 7,300 more people a year getting febuxostat.
"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," Pharmac's Director Pharmaceuticals, Geraldine MacGibbon, said.
Gout is a form of arthritis caused by a build-up of uric acid in the body. When levels get too high, crystals can form in and around the joints, causing sudden swelling, redness and severe pain.
Around 90% of uric acid levels come down to genetics and how well the kidneys clear it, according to Pharmac.
Febuxostat lowers the amount of uric acid the body makes. Pharmac says taking it can help prevent gout attacks and cut the risk of long-term joint and kidney damage.
Under the proposal, doctors and patients would have two second-line options to choose from: febuxostat or probenecid.
Consultation ran from 16 September until midnight on 30 September. Pharmac said all feedback received by then would be considered before it makes a final decision.
