A new approach to reviewing and funding cancera disease where abnormal cells split without control and spread to other nearby body tissue and/or organs medicines can hasten access.
Rare Cancers Australia, patient advocates, and leading clinicians are calling on the PBAC to overhaul how it recommends access to the life-saving PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor class of cancer medicines.
According to Christine Cockburn, CEO, Rare Cancers Australia, Australia is poised to embrace new ways of reviewing and funding breakthrough cancer drugs, and must do so to improve outcomes for those in dire need.
“At the moment, patients with melanomaa type of cancer that develops from melanocytes, which are the cells that produce pigment generally in the skin (but can develop in other areas of the body) can access some PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors for roughly $30 through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). However, for those patients with salivary gland cancer, for example, they must pay thousands of dollars for the same treatment, due to restrictions in our health system.”
“We propose moving away from the outdated process of reviewing medicines for specific tumoura tissue mass that forms from groups of unhealthy cells types, for example those specifically for breast, or lung, or skin cancer. Instead, we need to be focusing on the specific genetic and biological make-up of the cancer itself.
“With the advent of precision oncologythe study, diagnosis and treatment of cancer medicines, and biomarker testing, our ability to rapidly obtain genomic information on an individual and their cancer has led to a dramatic shift in how we can diagnose, treat, monitorto check on, keep track of and prevent cancer. With this expanded knowledge of cancer there are several promising treatments that can specifically target the drivers of an individual’s cancer.”
Ms Cockburn continued “Such a ‘pan tumour’ approach could broaden access to essential medicines, especially for those living with rare and less common cancers who may never have access to effective therapies because of small patient populations and the challenges with meeting evidentiary requirements in the health technology assessment process.”
Coalition of national cancer groups send their message to Canberra
Rare Cancers Australia will hand deliver the consensus view of some of the most influential cancer organisations in Australia to Minister for Health, Mark Butler MP, in Parliament House, Canberra on Wednesday, 27 March 2024.
A cross-section of vocal patient groups representing the interests of millions of Australians living with, and impacted by, cancer is leading the call for a pan-tumour approach to drugs access, including Breast Cancer Network Australia, Lung Foundation Australia, Canteen, Melanoma Patients Australia, Leukemia Foundation, Pink Hope, Melanoma and Skin Cancer Advocacy Network, Pancare Foundation, and Beat Bladdera hollow, muscular sac in the pelvis that stores urine Cancer Australia.
Cancer medications already in use in Australia must be made available to more Australians in need
The PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor ‘pembrolizumab’ was first available to Australian patients in September 2015 when it was listed on the PBS for people with metastatic melanoma.
But it is approved in the US for many more cancer types. Australia lags significantly behind other OECD countries on cancer medicines access.
Thousands of Australians with cancer would benefit from a pan tumour approach to drugs access
At least 3,500 more people would be eligible for treatment with a PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor if PBS funding was available for all indications that are currently approved in the US.
Furthermore, around 7,000 more people would be eligible once the remaining indications are eventually approved.1
The PBAC can act now to expand access to lifesaving medicines
The PBAC will meet again in the coming weeks to reconsider several multi-cancer access arrangements after it deferred its decision in December 2023 to recommend all current and future Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) registrations for Opdivo+Yervoy and Keytruda under one umbrella ‘pan tumour’ PBS listing.
About Rare Cancers Australia
Rare Cancers Australia (RCA) is a charity whose mission is to improve the lives and health outcomes of Australians living with rare, less common (RLC) and complex cancers. RCA believes that no Australian should have to go through their cancer journeywhat a person experiences/lives from the time they think they have cancer alone, which is why RCA provides 360-degree personalised support and navigation to patients and their loved ones. For more information, and support, please visit www.rarecancers.org.au
References
- Rare Cancers Australia. Rarefication – personalised medicine in the genomic revolution. Available at: https://www.rarecancers.org.au/page/104/reports-submissions. Date Accessed: March 2023
- Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. 5.19 pembrolizumab. Available at: https://www.pbs.gov.au/industry/listing/elements/pbac-meetings/psd/2015-03/Files/pembrolizumab-psd-march-2015.docx. Date Accessed: March 2024