Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business) Share this | Hansard source

I think that this is without a doubt one of the proudest achievements of the coalition government, and I certainly know it is one of the proudest achievements of the Minister for Health—that is, of course, being able to utilise the benefits of a strong economy to actually put drugs on to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, but in particular life-changing cancer medications. I don't think anybody in here would say that they have not personally been touched by cancer or, alternatively, know someone who is very close to them that has been touched by cancer.

As a result of the dividends of a strong economy, the minister has recently listed medicines to treat lung cancer, lymphoblastic and acute leukaemia and the nausea associated with chemotherapy, which affect more than half a million patients. That's a good dividend. But we are also saving them up to $100,000 per course of treatment. We have also listed Tecentriq and Avastin. This will help a number of patients suffering with certain types of lung cancers. Without the PBS subsidy, access to this life-changing medicine would cost patients more than $11,400 per script or more than $189,100 per course of treatment. We have also extended the listing of Besponsa. This will assist many patients suffering from lymphoblastic and acute leukaemia. Again, without this listing of this drug, patients would pay more than $44,500 per script or more than $122,900 per course of treatment. That is why we have a plan. That is why we will not deviate from our plan, because these are real dividends of a strong economy.