Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Minister for Health) Share this | Hansard source

I want to thank the member for North Sydney, who is a deep and passionate advocate for new medicines. I was privileged to be joined by him only last week when we went to Royal North Shore Hospital. Whilst we were there, we were able to announce two new medicines to be listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme: one for advanced lymphoblastic leukaemia and another for stage IV non-small-cell lung cancer patients.

Whilst we were there, we were able to speak with Peter Suffolk. Peter is, we understand and believe, the first patient in Australia to have been given access to Keytruda. That medicine was provided to him through a trial program and subsequently on a compassionate basis. It's now something we're making available through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. That medicine was given to Peter at a time eight years ago when he was given less than six months to live. He is now with us eight years later because of access to Keytruda and, as he said to us, he is feeling fit, he's feeling well and, along the way, he's been able to walk his daughter down the aisle.

Now we are able to list Keytruda on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. It's a medicine which would otherwise cost $120,000 a year for stage IV lung cancer patients, who will now be given access to first-line treatment. The importance of that is it gives them access at the earliest possible time to a treatment which can allow them to have their lives protected, to have their lives extended and, as you see in the case of Peter, to have their lives saved. And it's not just one or two; it's 2,200 patients.

As I say this, I also want to acknowledge the words of Bruno, whom the Prime Minister met with me earlier this year when we made Tagrisso available. I saw Bruno very recently. He's doing well, but he made the point that many lung cancer patients live with stigma. So on behalf of Bruno I want to say it doesn't matter what the condition is; we are here to fight for you and to make those medicines available to you. Bruno, on your behalf the Prime Minister and I are saying that there should be no condition which is subject to stigma.

Equally, acute lymphoblastic leukaemia is a condition that can strike over 2,000 patients in Australia a year. The particular form of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia which we're able to support now is able to be treated by Blincyto. There are only 86 patients that at this stage we believe will benefit from this particular medicine, but, whether it's a large number or a small number, because of the strong economy we're able to help patients such as 32-year-old Kelly, whom we met on the day. Blincyto has allowed her to go on and have a bone marrow transplant, and things are looking very positive for her.

For Kelly, for Peter, for every one of these patients: we are privileged to be able to support you with these new medicines. (Time expired)

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