Breast Cancer Drug Now $1,000’s Cheaper
October 3rd 2006 04:47
Breast Cancer Drug Now $1,000’s Cheaper
Government subsidies commenced on Sunday for the revolutionary breast cancer drug Herceptin. Its average cost was initially $50,000 per year, but now the drug is on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) people with early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer will only pay $520, around 1% of the original cost.
Of the 14,000 women diagnosed with the cancer each year, about 20% have HER2-positive, which is a particularly aggressive form of the disease. It was first only those in the advance stages of the disease who qualified for the government subsidy but now all sufferers are eligible.
In Australia, more than 2,500 women died from the disease in 2001. Risk factors include age, alcohol consumption, certain chemicals, obesity and certain factors in a woman’s fertility history.
Some people had to go to incredible measures to afford the drug. Until Sunday, Michelle Ward of Mount Annan had to rely on the kindness of friends and family to pay for the drug. "[Being ill] is stressful enough without the extra burden of finding the money," she said. "It means women can concentrate on getting well."
This is a very good point. When something as extreme and unforgiving as cancer is diagnosed it makes such a huge impact on the family. I’m sure we all know of at least one person who had to suffer through this illness. It is a painful time for their families and friends too. Adding the new financial burden of a $50,000 a year drug is sure to make life immeasurably worse, not to mention all the other costs associated with treatments like chemotherapy and hospital visits. Another sufferer, Sandra Messina, needed a second mortgage to pay for Herceptin.
Health Minister Tony Abbott said about 2100 patients each year were expected to receive the drug at a cost of $470 million over four years.
How does Herceptin work?
It’s non-commercial name is Trastuzumab, and it has been shown to reduce the risk of the cancer returning by 50 per cent more than chemotherapy alone. It is used after surgery in conjunction with chemotherapy for 12 months. It acts on the on the HER2/neu (‘erbB2’) receptor which is overexpressed in HER2-positive breast cancer.
Side effects: one of the significant side effects of Trastuzumab is its effect on the heart. The drug can be associated with heart dysfunction in 2-7% of cases.
The NSW Health fact sheet on Herceptin, states that the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) recommended that the Australian Government subsidise the drug. And that “the risk of permanent damage to the heart was carefully assessed by the PBAC in recommending which patients should access the drug on the PBS.”
They go on to say that the drug would not be subsidised for patients who are at high risk of heart damage from the drug. HER-2 gene amplification testing will be carried out, using an in-situ hybridisation test (known as ISH), which will identify patients who are likely to benefit from use of the drug.
The NSW Health fact sheet on Herceptin can be found at the NSW Health Website.
Original article in SMH.
Government subsidies commenced on Sunday for the revolutionary breast cancer drug Herceptin. Its average cost was initially $50,000 per year, but now the drug is on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) people with early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer will only pay $520, around 1% of the original cost.
Of the 14,000 women diagnosed with the cancer each year, about 20% have HER2-positive, which is a particularly aggressive form of the disease. It was first only those in the advance stages of the disease who qualified for the government subsidy but now all sufferers are eligible.
In Australia, more than 2,500 women died from the disease in 2001. Risk factors include age, alcohol consumption, certain chemicals, obesity and certain factors in a woman’s fertility history.
Some people had to go to incredible measures to afford the drug. Until Sunday, Michelle Ward of Mount Annan had to rely on the kindness of friends and family to pay for the drug. "[Being ill] is stressful enough without the extra burden of finding the money," she said. "It means women can concentrate on getting well."
This is a very good point. When something as extreme and unforgiving as cancer is diagnosed it makes such a huge impact on the family. I’m sure we all know of at least one person who had to suffer through this illness. It is a painful time for their families and friends too. Adding the new financial burden of a $50,000 a year drug is sure to make life immeasurably worse, not to mention all the other costs associated with treatments like chemotherapy and hospital visits. Another sufferer, Sandra Messina, needed a second mortgage to pay for Herceptin.
Health Minister Tony Abbott said about 2100 patients each year were expected to receive the drug at a cost of $470 million over four years.
How does Herceptin work?
It’s non-commercial name is Trastuzumab, and it has been shown to reduce the risk of the cancer returning by 50 per cent more than chemotherapy alone. It is used after surgery in conjunction with chemotherapy for 12 months. It acts on the on the HER2/neu (‘erbB2’) receptor which is overexpressed in HER2-positive breast cancer.
Side effects: one of the significant side effects of Trastuzumab is its effect on the heart. The drug can be associated with heart dysfunction in 2-7% of cases.
The NSW Health fact sheet on Herceptin, states that the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) recommended that the Australian Government subsidise the drug. And that “the risk of permanent damage to the heart was carefully assessed by the PBAC in recommending which patients should access the drug on the PBS.”
They go on to say that the drug would not be subsidised for patients who are at high risk of heart damage from the drug. HER-2 gene amplification testing will be carried out, using an in-situ hybridisation test (known as ISH), which will identify patients who are likely to benefit from use of the drug.
The NSW Health fact sheet on Herceptin can be found at the NSW Health Website.
Original article in SMH.
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