How much is an extra year of life worth when you have a terminal disease?

For Alex Ivanov, the answer is easy: $90,000.

That is the annual cost of a new drug that hundreds of lung cancer patients will have to consider paying  from their own pockets if the federal government does not choose to subsidise it on the pharmaceutical benefits scheme this month.

Oncologists say the drug, crizotinib, is significantly extending the lives of patients with a form of lung cancer that affects about 300 Australians each year, making up about five per cent of all lung cancer cases.

For more details, go to: http://www.smh.com.au/national/health/cost-of-life-under-microscope-as-new-cancer-drug-on-wait-list-20141204-120g70.html