Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Treasury) Share this | Hansard source

I would like to speak to a petition that I wish to table of 3,310 signatures. The petition relates to the availability of Herceptin on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme for women that experience early stage breast cancer.

Since becoming the federal member for Ballarat, this petition is one of the largest I have had the pleasure of tabling. The community support for this campaign has been resounding. Hundreds of thousands of people across Australia have added their voice to the campaign to have the process for getting Herceptin listed on the PBS for early stage breast cancer fast-tracked.

Each year, approximately 13,000 women in Australia are diagnosed with breast cancer. Of those 13,000 women, it is estimated that 20 per cent have what is called HER2-positive breast cancer. HER2 is a protein that is found on the surface of cells and, when functioning normally, it has been found to be a key factor in regulating cell growth. When the HER2 protein is altered, extra HER2 protein receptors may be produced, resulting in increased cell growth and reproduction. This often results in more aggressive breast cancer cells. Herceptin is a drug that attaches itself to the cells that over express HER2 protein and, by binding itself to these cells, can slow the growth and spread of tumours.

Herceptin is currently listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme for women who experience and suffer advanced HER2-positive breast cancer. Clinical trials of women with early stage HER2 breast cancer have been promising, and the TGA has approved its use for these women. But it is not listed on the PBS for that purpose and therefore is currently not a subsidised drug for women with early stage HER2 breast cancer—and its costs are prohibitive. In addition not all breast cancer patients are candidates for Herceptin. The drug only appears to work for women whose breast cancer cells carry extra copies of the HER2 protein. So it is important to recognise that Herceptin is not a miracle cure, nor will it assist all women with breast cancer.

Herceptin itself can cost as much as $70,000—an amount well beyond the immediate resources of the average family. Many members in this place will have been assisting women in their electorates to raise money for this treatment. Many women with HER2 early stage breast cancer, whose oncologists have recommended that they be treated with Herceptin, are facing an unpalatable choice of not being able to access this treatment at all or of going into substantial debt.

Jenny—or ‘Henry’, as she is known—Poppe and Julieta Weiss, both from my electorate and both of whom have HER2-positive early stage breast cancer, have taken on the huge task of raising the money needed to fund their treatment. They have been incredibly fortunate to have received support from family, friends and our local community. The treatment costs $4,000 to start and then around $3,000 every three weeks for 12 months, and dosages are based on weight—so if you put on weight the costs go up.

It is the stories of women like Henry and Julieta which really bring home the heartache families go through. Jenny—who, ironically, has spent time looking after children suffering from leukaemia—said the shock of learning she had breast cancer is still pretty raw. She had a mammogram last November for ‘something to do’ and said she:

... didn’t feel a lump or anything; I just thought I’d have a check up. All of a sudden I was told I have two lumps. One in each breast.

For her, the decision of whether to have a mastectomy, a partial mastectomy or a lumpectomy happened in a couple of days. It was a fairly traumatic experience. When the oncologist told her she needed to access Herceptin, she thought:

‘The thought of taking a loan of that much money is tough ... It’s hard enough taking in the news of having breast cancer, let alone the worry of making that kind of financial commitment.’

…         …         …

‘They say Herceptin is only for the advanced stages of breast cancer ... but I don’t want to wait for that! If they say that it reduces the risk of reoccurrence by 50%, I need to work out what needs to be done now.’

Henry and Julieta are exceptional women who have terrific support from their families and their communities. Both Henry’s and Julieta’s friends have organised several successful fundraisers which I have had the pleasure of participating in. The fundraisers are a testament not only of the friendships that Henry and Julieta have but of the strength and compassion of communities across my district. Julieta decided to have an art auction as a fundraiser. She had nothing to work with: no venue, no art, no prizes. However, word spread pretty quickly and within weeks over 100 pieces of art and a venue were donated. At the end of the auction, she had raised over $28,000.

Henry’s friends organised celebrity bar staff at a local sports bar, in which I participated. The owners of the sports bar donated all takings from the bar between 5 pm and 8 pm to Henry. This was a most generous offer, and I want to thank Jason, Doug and Kate of JD’s Sports Bar for their kind donation. It was a terrific event and a real testament to the community spirit of Ballarat. While the celebrity bar staff, myself included, may have been a bit more like trainee bar staff, by the end of the night we were finally getting the hang of using those beer pourers, or whatever you call them. Working behind the bar was certainly not one of the things I had expected to be doing as a federal member of parliament, but it certainly was one of the most enjoyable. What was even more special was that we raised over $10,000 to assist Henry in accessing Herceptin. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the local businesses and individuals for making both Henry’s and Julieta’s fundraisers so successful.

Last month one of the hurdles was overcome when the Therapeutic Goods Administration announced it is likely to register the drug that could greatly help these women’s recoveries. The final hurdle now is assessment and approval by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee. While it is of the utmost importance that the decision of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee is at arm’s length from government, in cases where the clinical evidence is clear and the human costs of delay are so high, an expedited process is important. The government and Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee should do everything they can to give women the opportunity to access Herceptin without having that financial burden. It goes against everything we stand for to have some women able to access a potentially life-saving treatment while others cannot, purely on the basis of affordability.

The petition I will seek leave to table as a document reads as follows:

There are currently over 2,000 HER-2 positive breast cancer sufferers in Australia.

Herceptin benefits HER-2 positive breast cancer sufferers by significantly reducing the risk of breast cancer recurring.

Herceptin is currently available on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme to advanced HER-2 positive breast cancer sufferers.

Herceptin is not available on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme to early stage HER-2 positive breast cancer sufferers.

Herceptin can only be accessed by early stage HER-2 positive breast cancer sufferers at a cost of between $50,000 and $70,000. Therefore early stage HER-2 positive breast cancer sufferers face a life and death financial dilemma.

Safeguarding the lives of all HER-2 positive breast cancer sufferers and giving them the best treatments available is a national responsibility.

Your petitioners therefore request that the House fast-tracks Herceptin onto the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme for early stage HER-2 positive breast cancer sufferers.

I seek leave to table the document—a petition consisting of 3,310 signatures of concerned citizens in my electorate.

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