Women who feared losing vital cancer treatment offered new hope
Women with breast cancer who were left languishing in PBS drug uncertainty have been offered a lifeline.
Women with breast cancer and endometriosis who feared losing access to the crucial drug Zoladex now have a new hope. The Australian federal government's Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) recommended listing an equivalent medication, triptorelin, on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). This move aims to provide a long-term treatment solution for patients who have faced uncertainty over access to Zoladex.
AstraZeneca, the manufacturer of Zoladex, announced it would remove the drug from both the PBS and private market in November. The health department emphasized its commitment to listing all medications recommended by PBAC. Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA) stressed the importance of an alternative medication like triptorelin being subsidised on the PBS, rather than relying on a separate access program run by a pharmaceutical company.
This decision is expected to bring long-term certainty in treatment access for breast cancer and endometriosis patients.
Written by urgent.news from ABC News AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
