Budget delivers life-changing breast cancer medication

The Turnbull Government has announced in the 2018-19 Budget the listing of a life-changing breast cancer medicine on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme that would otherwise cost patients around $71,820 per year. Federal Member for Forde Bert van Manen MP said the investment of $703.6 million would mean more than 3000 Australian patients with inoperable or…

Life-saving medicine added to PBS

The Turnbull Government will provide $241 million to list a vital and life-saving medicine which treats Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), cutting the cost to patients in Forde by hundreds of thousands of dollars. Federal Member for Forde Bert van Manen MP said from June 1 this year, the Government would make Spinraza available on the…

Life-saving medicines added to the PBS

The Turnbull Government will drastically reduce the cost of a life-saving new medicine, which uses a patient’s own immune system to track down and destroy cancer cells. Federal Member for Forde Bert van Manen MP said from May 1, classical Hodgkin’s lymphoma patients would no longer pay over $200,000 per course of treatment, now only…

New treatment for lung and kidney cancer on PBS

From 1 August, more than 4500 Australians will benefit each year from the listing of a revolutionary new medicine for lung and renal cancer on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). Nivolumab (sold as Opdivo®) is used to treat both locally advanced and metastatic stages of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and Stage IV clear cell…