Rare Cancers Australia (RCA) has voiced deep disappointment following the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee’s (PBAC) decision to reject a proposed streamlined approach to accessing the PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor class of cancer medicines. These life-saving therapies, widely acknowledged for their effectiveness, remain difficult to access for many Australian cancer patients.
Christine Cockburn, CEO of RCA, expressed frustration over this latest setback, calling it a “tragedy” for those who could benefit from the treatments. “We are incredibly disappointed to see yet another rejection by PBAC on pan-tumour listings for these highly effective cancer medicines,” she stated.
Ms. Cockburn highlighted the devastating consequences for patients: “Our patients continue to wait, self-fund or even die while negotiations drag on between the industry and government. The PBAC’s suggestion of reforms ‘within tumour types’ is simply a return to the status quo—this is not innovation, nor is it helping Australians with life-threatening cancers.”
She pointed to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of these therapies based on genomic classification rather than cancer location, urging Australia to follow suit and base its approval processes on scientific evidence.
Rare Cancers Australia has been advocating for a pan-tumour approach to drug access since 2017, but this latest decision is a bitter blow. “This situation feels like participants are arguing over the life-jacket while the patient is drowning,” said Ms. Cockburn.
Earlier this year, Ms. Cockburn personally delivered a consensus statement from leading cancer organisations to Minister for Health, Mark Butler MP, advocating for a pan-tumour drug access model to ensure timely treatment for patients. Despite this, progress has stalled.
“Thousands of Australians, particularly those with rare and less common cancers, could benefit from this approach. Now is the time to embrace innovation, but instead, we are stuck with an outdated, burdensome process,” Ms. Cockburn continued.
RCA remains committed to fighting for faster, fairer access to treatments for all cancer patients. “We will continue working with the community, industry, and government to make this critical reform a reality. Minister Butler must intervene to ensure Australian patients receive the latest therapies in a timely manner—doing nothing is simply unacceptable.”
Ms. Cockburn concluded with a stark reminder of the stakes: “Every day of delay is costing Australian lives.”
Disappointment as Cancer Patients Left Waiting for Life-Saving Medicines added by Indian newspaper Sydney on
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