Patient fears Pharmac decision may come too late for her

By CATHY ARONSON

Caterina De Nave believes she may be dead from the rare form of leukaemia she is suffering by the time Pharmac decides to pay for her to use the wonder drug Glivec.

"It know it sounds morbid, but that's how I feel. They had the chance to give us life. They made a very tough decision."

Ms De Nave, head of the drama and comedy unit at TV3, is one of about 180 people who will not receive funding for a drug because their chronic myeloid leukaemia, or CML, is not advanced enough.

Government agency Pharmac has decided to consider funding Glivec only for the 20 people who have reached the accelerated and blast-crisis phases.

It claims there is not enough research to prove the drug is successful for those in the earlier stage.

Ms De Nave and the company behind the drug, Novartis, disagree.

Research has shown Glivec to be nearly three times more effective than the existing funded medication, Interferon, with fewer side-effects.

Novartis managing director Andrew Moore said Glivec was most effective if given during the early stages of CML.

Then, it produced normal blood counts in 95 per cent of patients and 60 per cent had a major reduction in the number of leukaemic cells.

"These results are unprecedented for any other cancer agent. Yet Pharmac has still not decided to fund people with early-stage disease. If it's a matter of saving money, the evidence does not stack up," he said.

The drug is not as successful for those in the accelerated and blast stages but will still be welcomed.

Trial results show that in accelerated patients, Glivec produces normal blood counts in 78 per cent and 26 per cent have a major reduction in leukaemic cells. The percentages drop to 29 and 16 per cent in the blast crisis stage.

The Pharmac board decided to consider funding those with the advanced stage based on advice from the Pharmacology and Therapeutics Advisory Committee and its cancer treatments subcommittee.

Pharmac chief executive Wayne McNee said evidence showed Glivec had significant benefits but its long-term effects were not fully known and the drug was expensive.

It would cost between $75,000 and $105,000 annually for each patient.

He said Pharmac would continue to review funding of the drug for patients in the chronic phase.

Novartis is supplying Glivec free to 30 trial patients until Pharmac formally approves funding.

The matter is up for consultation for at least a month, with a decision expected within two months.

Ms De Nave is not on the trial.


nzherald.co.nz/health