John Alexander (Bennelong, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

After a highly successful 100-kay walk around my electorate in 2015, I have again returned to the streets, this time walking 100 kays in aid of the Leukaemia Foundation. I started this walk on 6 October to raise money and awareness of this condition. I didn't expect such success so soon: on my third day, news came through that the government has started subsidising Imbruvica, a new breakthrough leukaemia drug. The icing on top is that the company that makes this drug is Bennelong's own Janssen, one of our great local innovators. Imbruvica treats the most common form of leukaemia, which almost 1,500 Australians are expected to be diagnosed with this year alone. It is used when the cancer has progressed or has not responded to first-line treatment with chemo-immunotherapy. The people who will benefit from this drug have, in many cases, already exhausted all options.

Imbruvica would normally cost $190,000 on average per course of treatment, putting it beyond the reach of most patients. From 1 December, it will cost a maximum of $38.80 cents per treatment and just $6.30 for concessional patients.

Especially heartwarming is the news that Janssen has already treated over 900 Australian and New Zealand patients through a patient access program which has seen those who could not wait for this listing already treated with the drug. Thank you to Janssen and the health minister for this listing. It will make a huge difference to cancer sufferers— (Time expired)

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