A landmark decision by the Minister for Health and Ageing, the Hon Mark Butler MP, has unlocked affordable access to a life-changing cancera disease where abnormal cells split without control and spread to other nearby body tissue and/or organs treatment and opened the door for a new approach to medicines access in Australia with nivolumab (Opdivo) and ipilimumab (Yervoy) approved for a pan-tumour listing on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).
For the first time, patients with advancedat a late stage, far along or metastatic cancers will have subsidised access to these immunotherapies based on clinical judgement rather than a specific tumoura tissue mass that forms from groups of unhealthy cells type – ending a long-standing inequity that left many Australians with rare and less common cancers facing exorbitant out-of-pocket costs.
Until now, patients with certain cancers could access these treatments on the PBS for around $25, while those with rarer cancers were often forced to self-fund treatment at a cost of thousands of dollars, draining savings, accessing superannuation early or turning to community fundraising.
Attending a press conference held by Minister Butler in Adelaide this morning, Rare Cancers Australia (RCA) CEO Christine Cockburn said the decision marked a historic turning point after years of sustained advocacy.
“We commend Minister Butler for making a landmark decision that prioritises patient outcomes over outdated system constraints and delivers a more equitable chance at life beyond cancer,” Ms Cockburn said, “this is a defining moment for the Australians diagnosed with a rare and less common cancers – a step towards a system where access to treatment is no longer determined by a person’s tumour type, geographic location or bank balance.”
The decision follows years of advocacy, multiple pan-tumour submissions from pharmaceutical sponsors and two positive recommendations from the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC). It is the first time a Minister has approved a pan-tumour PBS listing for a cancer immunotherapya treatment that uses a person's immune system to fight cancer.
“I also would like to recognise the many patient advocates in our community, including our Co-Founders Kate and Richard Vines, who started advocating for pan-tumour eight years ago. They have used their voice to bring about meaningful change, and this decision is the culmination of years of collaboration and determination,” Ms Cockburn continued.
“We are encouraged to see long-standing barriers finally begin to shift. This decision proves that meaningful reform is possible when government takes a pragmatic and patient-centred approach and patients, clinicians, industry and policy-makers work together to tackle access barriers,” Ms Cockburn said.
“Our focus remains on ensuring fast and fair access to treatments for every person with a rare cancer, by maintaining this momentum. What we hope for now is a clear path for other medicines to be listed in this way.”
Ms Cockburn said the decision should signal a broader shift in how Australia evaluates and reimburses cancer medicines.
“If we are serious about equity and improved cancer outcomes, we need a system that embraces innovation, clinical judgement and timely decision-making. Australians with cancer cannot afford delays when life-changing treatments are within reach,” she said.
Read the Minister’s press conference transcript here.
RCA Media Contact: Alicia Ballesty, Head of Strategic Communications, 0499 880 742, [email protected]