Wide Bay’s lung cancer and cholesterol patients to benefit from new PBS listings
2 November 2018
Wide Bay’s lung cancer and cholesterol patients to benefit from new PBS listings
Federal Member for Wide Bay, Llew O’Brien, has welcomed the Liberal Nationals Government’s announcement of two major new listings on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)
“These new listings have the potential to extend the lives of patients in Wide Bay with advanced lung cancer, and those at risk of a heart attack, providing patients with up to almost $190,000 a year in savings,” Mr O’Brien said.
“These new listings will help the thousands of Australians and their families who are fighting lung cancer and the devastating impact of heart disease.
“Without this subsidy it would cost over $11,300 per script or $188,000 a year. Patients will now pay a maximum of $39.50 per script or just $6.40 per script for concessional patients, including pensioners.
“This listing means that for the first time eligible patients in Wide Bay, with advanced lung cancer, can avoid chemotherapy and be treated with the novel immunotherapy treatment, Keytruda®. It is estimated to benefit around 850 patients a year.”
November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month and from 1 November, patients with advanced lung cancer will have the treatment Keytruda® subsidised for first-line treatment of metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Keytruda® is an immunotherapy medicine working with a patient’s own immune system to recognise cancer cells and destroy them. Clinical trials of Keytruda® for lung cancer has shown that some patients became virtually cancer free after treatment.
This medicine is already listed on the PBS for classical Hodgkin’s lymphoma and unresectable Stage III or Stage IV malignant melanoma.
The Liberal Nationals Government is also listing Repatha® from November 1 for the treatment of familial hypercholesterolaemia, which is a genetic high cholesterol condition.
“More than 6,000 people a year with the condition, who are at risk of having a heart attack or stroke at an early age, will benefit from the treatment,” Mr O’Brien said.
“Patients would normally pay around $630 a script, or more than $8000 a year. With its listing on the PBS, eligible patients will pay a maximum of $39.50 per script for Repatha or just $6.40 with a concession card,” Mr O’Brien said
Minister for Health, Greg Hunt said the Government’s strong economic management has enabled it to provide patients with access to life-saving and life-changing medicines quicker than ever before.
“Since coming into Government, the Coalition has helped improve the health of Australians by subsidising almost $10 billion worth of new medicines, and we are now making on average one new or amended PBS listing every single day. Only the Coalition can be trusted to deliver for Australian patients,” Minister Hunt said.
The independent Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) recommended the listings.
The Committee is independent of Government by law and in practice. By law the Federal Government cannot list a new medicine without a positive recommendation from PBAC.
“In the Budget we announced our commitment to invest $2.4 billion in new medicines to build on our commitment to guarantee those essential services that all Australians rely on.”
“Our commitment to the PBS is rock solid. Together with Medicare, it is a foundation of our world-class health care system.” Minister Hunt said.
Lung Cancer Awareness Month provides an opportunity to raise community awareness of lung cancer. For further details visit https://canceraustralia.gov.au/healthy-living/campaigns-events/lung-cancer-awareness-month
(ENDS)
