Ibrance on the PBS

scientist

Does anyone know any details about Ibrance (palbociclib) being put on the PBS? Will it be made available only to newly diagnosed women as well, not those that have had prior treatment? Cheers.

Southgirl

I’m wondering the same thing @scientist - I can’t find the details either. I’m hoping that it will be available to those of us who have had prior treatment. The ribociclib listing was very disappointing in that regard.

Patti J

Apparently, according to my oncologist, it is only available to first line patients.

Giovanna_BCNA

Hello everyone,

The CDK inhibitor Palbociclib (Ibrance) will be listed on the PBS as a first line treatment for people newly diagnosed with metastatic hormone receptor positive, HER2-negative breast cancer from 1 May 2019.

While this is good news for some people diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer, our concern remains for women and men seeking access to a CDK inhibitor as a second or later line treatment. 

BCNA will continue to work on this issue so that all Australians living with metastatic breast cancer have access to this important drug.  For more information Click
here

Anne94

Just wanted to let you, my oncologist and the pharmacist were able to access Palbociclib for me, so I'm only paying the $40 PBS rate.  The compassionate grounds were accessed and then submission was sent to the hospital board (I think) and I got approved, I did get denied the first time but the documentation was reworded and submitted again and I was approved. It would have been so much easier to access if it was on the PBS already for second line treatment ( I have gone through all the aromatose inhibitors and tamoxifen).

scientist

Thanks Anne94, that gives me some hope. I don't need it yet, thankfully, but when my current drug stops working, I think palbociclib or ribociclib is my next best bet. At least I think Ibrance is now capped at $40,000 (8 months worth) and then is free after that for those who are on second/later line treatment.

Now for a little rant - I'm not surprised that Ibrance is only on the PBS for first-line treatment at the moment, but it is frustrating that the government gives themselves a big pat on the back for listing it on the PBS in the budget, when it is only available to the women that already have access to ribociclib. It's not like this group of patients is accessing both ribociclib and palbociclib simultaneously... I'm not sure of the stats of women who respond to one of these inhibitors and not the other, but I imagine it would be a small portion. And if true, adding Ibrance to the PBS adds little extra value, and still ignores the large numbers of women who could definitely benefit from it and still cannot access it. Rant over.