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Phamarc urged to fund more cancer treatments

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Tue, 26 Mar 2019, 11:01AM
Photo / NZ Herald

Phamarc urged to fund more cancer treatments

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Tue, 26 Mar 2019, 11:01AM

A cancer expert visiting from Spain says Pharmac needs to pick up the pace on funding cancer treatments.

The drug-buying agency is considering whether to fund breast cancer inhibitor Ibrance.

The health select committee heard submissions on a petition signed by close to 34,000 people calling for Health Minister David Clark and Pharmac to fund Kadcyla and Palbociclib (also known as Ibrance) for breast-cancer sufferers.

Head of the breast cancer program at Madrid's IOB Institute of Oncology, Dr Javier Cortés told Mike Hosking it's a drug that patients deserve access to.

"It delays the need for chemotherapy, which greatly increases the quality of life for patients suffering from cancer."

Cortés says it's just one of many treatments that are funded overseas but not in this country.

"It is very upsetting to see in New Zealand many of these are not approved or funded, hopefully, this changes soon."

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