KEY POINTS:
The board of Government drug-buying agency Pharmac is meeting today to discuss whether it will fund 12-month courses of the breast cancer drug Herceptin.
In July 2006 Pharmac decided to back just the nine-week course of the drug, used to combat the aggressive HER2 positive form of breast cancer, at an estimated cost to District Health Boards of about $6 million a year.
Eight breast cancer patients, labelled the "Herceptin Heroines", took Pharmac to court to challenge the decision.
The High Court found insufficient consultation had been done in regard to the possible benefits of the longer course and instructed Pharmac to start over again.
Pharmac sought public reaction and received over 300 responses before submissions closed on June 9.
The board is not expected to make any announcement before next week at the earliest.
- NZPA
