BCNA is calling on its members and their supporters to write to their local federal Member of Parliament and state or territory Senators to urge them to support the listing of ribociclib and palbocicl...
Published 8 years ago
Version 1.0
Blog Post
I've had a successful 23 months on palbociclib so far, and have been very very lucky with it.
I was on Channel 9 news a year ago and yesterday, I saw BCNA's Facebook post showing Lisa Laird on Channel 7 news in Cairns - well done, BCNA and Lisa Laird! Hope you have more success this round than we did last year!
I'd like to get in touch with Lisa to compare notes if she is willing. Lisa could you contact me if you're reading this, or BCNA, could you please facilitate this?
Anyway, my local member is Malcolm Turnbull, and his computer has acknowledged receipt of this letter I sent yesterday:
Subject: Urgent request, for PBAC meeting in March
Dear Malcolm Turnbull
I am a resident of Bondi Beach in your electorate
I am writing to ask your support to have two important new breast cancer drugs subsidised by the Australian Government. I myself have metastatic breast cancer and have enjoyed 2 years of good quality of life SO FAR by accessing palbociclib.
Before palbociclib was made available in Australia in July last year, I spent personally approx. $120,000 to obtain it from overseas. (It cost almost $10,000 per month)
I was one of the few lucky ones who could afford it, having access to my superannuation.
At last, it is available in Australia. However most women cannot afford to try it, as it costs almost $5000 per month within Australia.
Ribociclib (Kisqali®) and palbociclib (Ibrance®) belong to a new class of drugs called CDK inhibitors. They are used to treat people living with a particular type of metastatic (advanced) breast cancer, and have been shown in clinical trials to extend the length of time before the cancer spreads by up to 26 months.
They are taken as tablets and do not cause common cancer treatment side effects such as hair loss and nausea, so people using them have a good quality of life.
Currently these drugs are subsidised in many other countries, including the USA, the UK, Germany, Spain, Sweden, Israel, Lebanon, the Gulf states and Argentina, however they are not yet available through Australia’s Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). The cost to purchase them is around $5,000 per month.
The Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) is considering both of these drugs at its March 2018 meeting. If they receive a positive recommendation from the PBAC, they will require approval from the Federal Cabinet before they can be added to the PBS.
As my local Member of Parliament, I ask you to raise this issue with the Health Minister, the Hon. Greg Hunt, and your colleagues in the Federal Parliament to ensure these drugs are listed as quickly as possible.
Australia is lagging behind and Australian women and men who could benefit from this important new treatment are missing out.
Should you require any further information about the CDK inhibitors, please contact Kathy Wells, General Manager Policy, at Breast Cancer Network Australia – kwells@bcna.org.au or 03 9805 2562
With thanks
I was on Channel 9 news a year ago and yesterday, I saw BCNA's Facebook post showing Lisa Laird on Channel 7 news in Cairns - well done, BCNA and Lisa Laird! Hope you have more success this round than we did last year!
I'd like to get in touch with Lisa to compare notes if she is willing. Lisa could you contact me if you're reading this, or BCNA, could you please facilitate this?
Anyway, my local member is Malcolm Turnbull, and his computer has acknowledged receipt of this letter I sent yesterday:
Subject: Urgent request, for PBAC meeting in March
Dear Malcolm Turnbull
I am a resident of Bondi Beach in your electorate
I am writing to ask your support to have two important new breast cancer drugs subsidised by the Australian Government. I myself have metastatic breast cancer and have enjoyed 2 years of good quality of life SO FAR by accessing palbociclib.
Before palbociclib was made available in Australia in July last year, I spent personally approx. $120,000 to obtain it from overseas. (It cost almost $10,000 per month)
I was one of the few lucky ones who could afford it, having access to my superannuation.
At last, it is available in Australia. However most women cannot afford to try it, as it costs almost $5000 per month within Australia.
Ribociclib (Kisqali®) and palbociclib (Ibrance®) belong to a new class of drugs called CDK inhibitors. They are used to treat people living with a particular type of metastatic (advanced) breast cancer, and have been shown in clinical trials to extend the length of time before the cancer spreads by up to 26 months.
They are taken as tablets and do not cause common cancer treatment side effects such as hair loss and nausea, so people using them have a good quality of life.
Currently these drugs are subsidised in many other countries, including the USA, the UK, Germany, Spain, Sweden, Israel, Lebanon, the Gulf states and Argentina, however they are not yet available through Australia’s Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). The cost to purchase them is around $5,000 per month.
The Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) is considering both of these drugs at its March 2018 meeting. If they receive a positive recommendation from the PBAC, they will require approval from the Federal Cabinet before they can be added to the PBS.
As my local Member of Parliament, I ask you to raise this issue with the Health Minister, the Hon. Greg Hunt, and your colleagues in the Federal Parliament to ensure these drugs are listed as quickly as possible.
Australia is lagging behind and Australian women and men who could benefit from this important new treatment are missing out.
Should you require any further information about the CDK inhibitors, please contact Kathy Wells, General Manager Policy, at Breast Cancer Network Australia – kwells@bcna.org.au or 03 9805 2562
With thanks