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.
Member for McMillan, Russell Broadbent said this investment of $703.6 million, will mean that more than 3,000 Australian patients with inoperable or metastatic hormone receptor positive breast cancer will benefit from the 1 July listing of ribociclib (Kisqali®).
“Hormone receptor positive tumours are the most common form of breast cancer and account for most of the deaths from the disease” Mr Broadbent said.
By inhibiting the two proteins that drive the growth of tumour cells, ribociclib — used in combination with other drugs — will slow the progression of inoperable and metastatic breast cancers in some patients.
The independent Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) recommended the listing of Kisqali.
The Committee is by law and in practice, independent of Government in its deliberations. By law the Federal Government cannot list a new medicine without a positive recommendation from this committee.
Mr Broadbent said since coming into Government, the Coalition has helped improve the health of Australians by subsidising approximately $9 billion worth of new medicines.
Mr Broadbent said the Turnbull Government’s commitment to the PBS is rock solid.
“Together with Medicare, it is a foundation of our world-class health care system,” Mr Broadbent said.
