Ms. Plibersek, (quote), “The PBS listing of abiraterone will benefit more than 1,000
Australians each year who would otherwise have to pay around $27,000 a year to
access the drug. This medicine offers an important treatment option for
patients who are not well enough to tolerate further chemotherapy.”
Minister, only terminal patients having
failed chemotherapy will be eligible for a PBS subsidy for Abiraterone. The rest face the ordeal of chemo and
qualify only when it fails. This is illogical because chemotherapy requires hospital
resources and is costly itself. Abiraterone (tablets) can substantially delay
metastases, cause them to regress and is well tolerated. It extends life,
pain-free.
The FDA in USA recognizes this and approves its use in the pre-chemotherapy group. The TGA
in Australia still needs to do so and the PBAC to recommend PBS subsidy. This would
be humane and cost-effective.
My petition with 5,400 signatures seeks to
achieve this and needs the signatures (urgently) of all supporters and of the
contacts of those who have already signed. Please ask everyone to sign it at http://chn.ge/QsuSHc .
No comments:
Post a Comment