Posted by Michael Wonder on 19 Nov 2019
Lung cancer and leukaemia treatments to be added to PBS
19 November 2019 - “Game changing” drugs for types of lung cancer and leukaemia will be added to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, offering new hope for some cancer patients.
The treatment options for non-small-cell lung cancer and early stage acute lymphoblastic leukaemia will be available from December 1.
More than 2200 patients with that form of lung cancer will be able to access pembrolizumab — an immunotherapy medicine that supercharges the body’s own immune system to fight cancer cells.
Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre oncologist Professor Ben Solomon said the treatment had already dramatically improved outcomes for his lung cancer patients.
