New funding for prostate cancer therapy
“Australian men will have affordable access to Taxotere, a drug to help combat prostate cancer, following a Howard Government decision to fund the drug on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) from 1 November,” Sophie Mirabella, the Federal Member for Indi, announced today.
Taxotere is a chemotherapy agent for androgen independent (hormone refractory) prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer for males, and the second highest cause of male cancer deaths annually. An estimated 18,700 new cases of prostate cancer were diagnosed in 2006 and more than 2,900 died of prostate cancer in 2005.
“On current estimates, more than 120 men in the North-East will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year,” Mrs Mirabella said.
“The decision to fund Taxotere is welcome news for Australian men and their families dealing with this disease.”
“This is a landmark decision for the thousands of men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer in Australia each year.”
“It means those men with advanced disease will no longer have to pay up to $18,000 for the only proven therapy to extend the duration of survival and improve quality of life.”
“The Howard Government is committed to providing affordable access to the best available medicines. The listing of Taxotere on the PBS reflects this commitment.”
“While the decision to list Taxotere on the PBS is good news for men with prostate cancer, we need to encourage men to take better care of their own health, particularly those in the at-risk categories of developing prostate cancer,” Mrs Mirabella said.
The Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia advises men to talk to there doctor about their prostate health from age 50 onwards, or for men with a family history from age 40.
More information is available from the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia website http://www.prostate.org.au
Taxotere is a chemotherapy agent for androgen independent (hormone refractory) prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer for males, and the second highest cause of male cancer deaths annually. An estimated 18,700 new cases of prostate cancer were diagnosed in 2006 and more than 2,900 died of prostate cancer in 2005.
“On current estimates, more than 120 men in the North-East will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year,” Mrs Mirabella said.
“The decision to fund Taxotere is welcome news for Australian men and their families dealing with this disease.”
“This is a landmark decision for the thousands of men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer in Australia each year.”
“It means those men with advanced disease will no longer have to pay up to $18,000 for the only proven therapy to extend the duration of survival and improve quality of life.”
“The Howard Government is committed to providing affordable access to the best available medicines. The listing of Taxotere on the PBS reflects this commitment.”
“While the decision to list Taxotere on the PBS is good news for men with prostate cancer, we need to encourage men to take better care of their own health, particularly those in the at-risk categories of developing prostate cancer,” Mrs Mirabella said.
The Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia advises men to talk to there doctor about their prostate health from age 50 onwards, or for men with a family history from age 40.
More information is available from the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia website http://www.prostate.org.au
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