New Zealand’s most vulnerable populations have been given a lifeline with funding approved for medicine that can prevent serious illness and save lives.

Pharmac has announced that, from January 1 2025, it will fund palivizumab - a medicine that prevents serious illness from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in high-risk babies and young children - as well as a new triple inhaler for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) to help them better manage their condition.

In November last year, the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ supported calls from paediatricians urging Pharmac to reconsider its decision to stop funding palivizumab - a monoclonal antibody injection - since it was first funded in 2021.

Foundation Medical Director Professor Bob Hancox said it is great to see that decision reversed.

RSV typically occurs in winter and causes respiratory infections in children, mostly those under the age of 6 months. It is particularly severe for infants born prematurely and babies with underlying heart or neurological conditions.

"It is great to see that this treatment is going to be available for some of our most vulnerable young children," Professor Hancox said.

"This will protect them from the potentially devastating effects of winter RSV infections."

The new inhaler for those living with COPD will provide another option for eligible patients to receive all of their regular inhaled medications in one inhaler, he says.

"We know that using these combined inhalers leads to better outcomes.

"We already have one inhaler available, but not all people can use every inhaler and we will now have another option."

COPD affects about 300,000 Kiwis and it is the fourth leading cause of death in New Zealand .