Better Access to Liver Cancer Medicines
Australians living with liver cancer will soon have new treatment options with changes to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) coming into effect.
The changes include better access to treatments for patients with advanced unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. Unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common form of liver cancer, which often occurs in people with other chronic liver diseases. It also has one of the lowest survival rates of all cancer types.
From 1 November, more than 500 patients per year could benefit from PBS listing of this treatment, which would otherwise cost more than $170,000 per course. Australia will be the first country in the world to have this combination treatment publically funded for this type of liver cancer.
