The Albanese Government has today announced that it will provide funding that will enable free access at to the effective drug DFMO for every Australian child and young adult with high-risk neuroblastoma.
In his statement, the Minister of Health and Aged Care, Hon. Mark Butler, said “We understand that DFMO offers the only hope to some patients who are desperately ill from neuroblastoma.
“This one-off funding ensures that they can get this new and promising treatment, without the huge price tag, while proper approval processes are followed.”
Rare Cancers Australia (RCA) CEO, Christine Cockburn, welcomed the highly anticipated news saying it would change the lives of so many families burdened by this rare and ruthless childhood cancera disease where abnormal cells split without control and spread to other nearby body tissue and/or organs, several of whom RCA directly supports.
“We are thrilled for the families. The fact that they will no longer have to fundraise to travel overseas and access this life-changing treatment for their children is an excellent outcome,” Ms Cockburn said.
“I am greatly encouraged to see this announcement from the Albanese Government. To see that human lives were prioritised over policy, and that the complexities of the system did not remain a barrier to interim access.
“Australia is poised to embrace new ways of assessing and funding breakthrough cancer drugs, like DFMO, and must do so to improve outcomes for those most in need.
“This outcome is a great response and beacon of hope for so many cancer patients having to self-fund their treatments that aren’t available yet in this country. The dial has shifted in the right direction, we now need to keep it pointed that way.”
See the full statement from Minister Butler here.
ENDS
Media Contact
Alicia Ballesty, Head of Strategic Communications
Rare Cancers Australia
0499880742