Australia to review way chemotherapy is funded

Australia’s Minister for Health Tanya Plibersek has announced a major review into the way chemotherapy is funded and provided as a way of ensuring the nation’s cancer patients have continued access to quality, affordable treatment.

“Being diagnosed and treated for cancer is a traumatic experience for patients and their families,” Ms Plibersek said, adding: “The Gillard government wants to ensure cancer patients don’t experience any interruption in their treatment while we closely examine how much we should be paying to support the ongoing viability for chemotherapy providers.”

Ms Plibersek said the review followed talks between the government and the Pharmacy Guild of Australia over appropriate subsidies for dispensing chemotherapy after the reduction in price the government pays for a key chemotherapy drug, docetaxel.