The federal government's decision to list Keytruda, the breakthrough new cancer drug that rid businessman Ron Walker of terminal cancer, on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, comes amid criticism by global drug giant Merck that the government is too slow to introduce new and innovative medicines for Australians. 

Keytruda and similar immunotherapy drugs being used in oncology are described as the most important discovery since penicillin and use the immune system to fight cancer cells. 

Ken Frazier – global chief executive of Merck, which developed Keytruda – said immunotherapy drugs were part of the next revolution in medicine that would potentially supersede the IT revolution. "The last 25 to 30 years you could characterise as the IT revolution. We're now on the cusp of the biology revolution," he told The Australian Financial Review in an exclusive interview.

For more details, go to: http://www.afr.com/business/health/pharmaceuticals/merck-ceo-ken-frazier-on-keytruda-and-why-australians-miss-out-on-new-drugs-20150628-ghyisc