Jane Hume (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Employment and Minister for Women, Senator Cash. February is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, and I note that many of my colleagues around the chamber are wearing the teal coloured ribbon in recognition of this. Will the minister please inform the Senate of work being undertaken to fight ovarian cancer and raise awareness of its symptoms?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you to Senator Hume for what I think is an incredibly important question. Like many in the chamber here today, I was humbled this morning to attend the annual Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month breakfast, and in particular to meet with and listen to an incredibly inspirational woman by the name of Trudy Crawley. She is someone who is living with terminal ovarian cancer. She came along today to share her story with us and to just remind us why it is so important that, regardless of which political party is in office, governments across Australia should support, in particular, research into ovarian cancer. As we know, it is one of the most commonly diagnosed gynaecological cancers in Australia, and more than 1,300 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year. If you look around the chamber, that equates to four women each day. Unfortunately though it also has the lowest survival rate of all of the gynaecological cancers in Australia. That is why the work that Ovarian Cancer Australia does to raise awareness of this particular disease is just so important. In terms of the work they are doing, the 25/25 vision, which aims to reduce the incidence of ovarian cancer by 25 per cent as well as improve five-year relative survival rates by 25 per cent by 2025, brings a focus to this ambitious goal. The Know. Ask. Act. campaign continues to raise awareness of symptoms, when to seek help and how to raise important funds for Ovarian Cancer Australia. Again, on behalf of everybody in the chamber, I congratulate Ovarian Cancer Australia for the important work they do in continuing to raise awareness in relation to this cancer.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hume, a supplementary question.

Jane Hume (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Will the minister please outline to the Senate the impact of the new ovarian cancer drug listing on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme to help women battling this disease.

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am pleased that, on 1 February 2017, the government has subsidised access to a new drug for ovarian cancer, olaparib. Olaparib previously—and, if you have had ovarian cancer, you would know this—cost a patient more than $104,000 per course of treatment. As many of us in this chamber would personally know, you just find the money and you pay it if that is what you have to do. But now, with subsidised access through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, it is available for just $6.30 for concessional patients and $38.80 for general patients. It is estimated that on average 237 patients per year over six years will benefit from this listing but, in particular, it can improve quality of life and significantly extent life expectancy for these women.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hume, a final supplementary question.

Jane Hume (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Will the minister apprise the Senate of other initiatives the Turnbull government supports in the search for a cure for ovarian cancer.

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As we heard this morning, treatment and affordable treatment are critically important in terms of ovarian cancer, but what we also need to do is find a cure. Of the approximately $2 billion we have invested in all cancers since 2000 through the National Health and Medical Research Council and Cancer Australia, more than $100 million was directed to ovarian cancer research. Alongside Cancer Australia, we are working hard to have the most effective campaigns, raising awareness amongst medical professionals and conducting the research that will improve the direction and outcomes. An initiative we support, which is particularly close to many of us in this chamber, is of course the Jeannie Ferris Cancer Australia Recognition Award in honour of our colleague who lost her battle with ovarian cancer in 2007. She did all that she could in her time to raise awareness of this cancer, and it is incumbent upon us all to continue her legacy.

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.