Pharmac rejects ripretinib funding for Whangārei nurse with rare cancer

Michael MorrahSenior investigative reporter·NZ Herald·18 Oct, 2026 04:00 PM7 mins to read‌Juanita Bassett, who has a rare form of cancer, is having to fundraise to pay for a lifesaving drug which costs almost $20,800 per month. Video \ Jason Dorday Northland nurse Juanita Bassett has been diagnosed with a form of hereditary cancer so rare that fewer than 100 families have it worldwide. A drug could give the mother of two more time with her family but, as Michael Morrah reports, it’s prohibitively expensive, and she’s had to rely on