A subsidized cancer drug to help Australians

Australians fighting bladder cancer have found new hope with drugs to treat the life-threatening disease that was lost under the national drug benefit program.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt will announce on Sunday that the immunotherapy award, Keytruda, will be funded starting March 1 for eligible Australians with advanced cancer that develops in the bladder and can not not be controlled by chemotherapy.

"There has been no new subsidized treatment for advanced bladder cancer for many years.It is good news to now have available cancer immunotherapy available and subsidized for these patients, "said Professor Andrew Weickhardt of the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Center.