Funding blow for anti-cancer drug

A Pharmac advisory committee has recommended against broadening subsidies for the potentially life-saving breast cancer drug Herceptin.

Government funding is currently only available for the expensive drug for women in advanced stages of breast cancer.

Pharmac medical director Peter Moodie said the issue was discussed this morning by the Pharmacology Therapeutics Advisory Committee (Ptac) which raised concerns about its safety profile and a lack of complete drug trial data.

Dr Moodie said the committee noted the drug had not yet been registered by New Zealand medicines regulator Medsafe -- or in any other country -- for early breast cancer.

"Ptac's view is that the drug must obtain Medsafe approval before Ptac makes any recommendation," Dr Moodie said.

Earlier this month Auckland woman Nicola Russell, 32, made a plea for help to find $118,000 to pay for Herceptin to treat her early-stage breast cancer.

Her family and friends in Northern Ireland are trying to raise the required money there and local newspapers have rallied to get their politicians to address the matter.

Dr Moodie said Ptac recognised the concern of women with breast cancer and acknowledged they wanted access to the drug as soon as reliable data was obtained. While there were safety concerns, the data received so far looked promising.

He said the committee would continue to give the matter priority and would review it once Medsafe made its decision.

Medsafe will discuss the drug's status on March 17.

- NZPA