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Australians with advanced lung cancer and a genetic high-cholesterol condition will have cheaper access to potent medical treatments after the government announced the listing of two drugs on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.
The subsiding of Keytruda, from November 1, will bring down the cost of an individual script from $11,300 – or $188,000 for an entire year of treatment – to a maximum of $39.50 for approximately 850 people who are diagnosed with advanced lung cancer every year.
The immunotherapy drug will be available to patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer, the most common kind of lung cancer, and allow them to avoid chemotherapy. Keytruda is already listed on the PBS for clbadical Hodgkin’s lymphoma and advanced melanoma.
Health Minister Greg Hunt says the Coalition has subsidised $10 billion worth of medicines.Credit:Chris Hopkins
“Clinical trials of Keytruda for lung cancer has shown that some patients became virtually cancer-free after treatment,” said Health Minister Greg Hunt on Sunday.
Immunotherapy badists a patient’s immune system to fight cancer cells.
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