Belief a controversial Health New Zealand decision on cancer drug funding - will shorten lives.

Pharmac's giving free access to Keytruda for five types of cancer, but funding doesn't kick in for two months.

Health NZ has scrapped a proposal to provide it the medication for people in need until then.

Patient Voice Aotearoa's Malcolm Mulholland says he is gobsmacked.

He told Heather du Plessis-Allan it's the cruellest decision he's seen Health NZ make, and will mean patients lives are cut short.

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