Posted by Michael Wonder on 08 May 2019
Blood cancer patients advocate pleads for treatment funding
8 May 2019 - Patient advocacy group Myeloma New Zealand has joined forces with other patient groups to petition Parliament to approve funding for state-of-the-art cancer treatments for New Zealanders.
Myeloma NZ is petitioning for funding for a suite of six life-extending treatments for multiple myeloma, a deadly, complex blood cancer of malignant plasma cells which is now the second fastest growing blood cancer in the world.
Presenting the petition at Parliament today to NZ First MP Jenny Marcroft, haematologist and chief executive of Myeloma NZ Trust Dr Ken Romeril said there have been huge advances in myeloma treatment internationally, but no new anti-myeloma medicines have been funded in NZ in the last 5 years.
