‘Every day of delay is costing Australian lives’, says Rare Cancers Australia CEO

Pharma News: Rare Cancers Australia (RCA) has voiced its disappointment alongside the pharmaceutical industry following the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee’s (PBAC) rejection of a proposed streamlined approach to access PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors.

Earlier this year, eleven cancer advocacy groups called on Health Minister Mark Butler to support a multi-cancer funding initiative for these immunotherapies, which represented a $1 billion investment in the 2022-23 financial year. Despite this, the PBAC has chosen to pursue a “simplified PBS listings within tumour types” rather than a broader multi-cancer funding agreement.

RCA’s CEO, Christine Cockburn, expressed deep frustration over the decision, viewing it as another setback for patients who would benefit from these therapies.

“We are incredibly disappointed to see another rejection by the government advisory body, PBAC, regarding pan-tumour listings of highly effective cancer medicines,” Cockburn stated.

“Our patients continue to wait, self-fund, or die whilst this industry and government negotiate. The suggestion from the PBAC that reform could occur ‘within tumour types’ is simply reverting to the status quo. This is not innovation and more importantly, it is not helping Australians living with life-threatening cancer.”

She emphasised the global contrast, noting that the therapies are approved in the United States by the FDA based on genomic classification, rather than the location of the cancer.

“Australia should be following the science and reflecting the evidence in its approval processes,” she said.

A broad funding proposal, the PBAC cautioned, must address risks, including direct harm and intangible consequences like fostering false hope or failing to meet patient needs. While acknowledging that PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibitors are effective against various cancers, the PBAC pointed to clinical trial data showing varied responses depending on cancer type, patient age, and other factors. As a result, the value for money of these medicines is not consistent across all cancer types.

Additionally, the PBAC underscored that any broad PBS listings must adhere to cost-effectiveness criteria, noting there would be no support for proposals demanding prices higher than those already deemed reasonable. Early assessments suggest that PD-(L)1 inhibitors may be less effective for future indications, meaning lower prices would likely be required for new uses.

RCA has long advocated for pan-tumour listings, having called for these changes since 2017. Cockburn likened the current situation to “arguing over the life-jacket whilst the patient is in the water drowning.”

“Thousands of Australians with cancer could benefit from a pan-tumour approach to drug access, especially those living with rare and less common cancers. Now is the time to embrace innovation and action; instead, we’re left with the status quo of an outdated and arduous process,” Cockburn continued.

“RCA will always fight for timely and equitable patient access to treatments, and we are committed to working with all parties—community, industry, and government—to make this reform a reality. We implore Minister Butler to intervene and ensure that Australia provides the latest therapies to patients in a timely manner. Doing nothing is not good enough.

“Every day of delay is costing Australian lives,” Cockburn concluded.

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