The State drug-buying agency Pharmac has confirmed that it will fund Herceptin for treatment of early breast cancer from July.
Herceptin will be funded under a nine-week treatment plan.
About 350 women a year will receive the treatment, which will be given with a form of chemotherapy.
Breast cancer advocates and oncologists have argued that the drug should be given under a 12-month plan. However, Pharmac says the price tag for that programme would be four times that of the nine-week plan, which it says, is as effective.
It says the funding decision will be at a total cost of $6 million a year to district health boards.
‘Realistic’
A cancer expert says the decision to fund Herceptin for nine weeks is realistic if not ideal.
Auckland oncologist Vernon Harvey, who also advises Pharmac on cancer treatment issues, says specialists generally back the longer, 12-month treatment.
However, Professor Harvey says the huge difference in cost between the treatment plans means that the decision is pragmatic.
Many issues
Pharmac says its decision to fund Herceptin involved balancing many issues.
Deputy medical director Dilky Rasiah says the nine-week treatment plan, to be given with a form of chemotherapy, has been shown to reduce the chances of tumours returning as effectively as longer treatment.
Dr Rasiah says that the nine-week treatment can also be delivered quickly and is cost-effective and affordable.
