Women's groups back drug ruling

The Federation of Women's Health Councils has backed the decision not to extend state funding of the expensive drug Herceptin for women with early breast cancer.

Yesterday, it became the second women's group, following Women's Health Action, to support the decision by Pharmac and the 21 district health boards.

Pharmac said funding Herceptin for early breast cancer - it is already funded for a type of terminal breast cancer - was not justified because of its high price and the relatively short duration of clinical data it had seen from clinical trials. A Pharmac committee would examine new data next month. The drug, used in HER2-protein-positive breast cancer, which accounts for 15 to 25 per cent of breast cancer cases, costs more than $100,000 for an average patient.

Extending funding to early breast cancer would add $20 million to $25 million a year to the current public hospital cancer drugs budget of $35 million to $40 million.

The stance of the women's groups has incensed the Breast Cancer Advocacy Coalition, which has organised with the Herceptin Heroes - an informal grouping of breast cancer patients - a protest at Aotea Square in Auckland today.

"The event will offer a moment of remembrance for all those New Zealand women who have died, and will continue to die needlessly, because of insufficient funding for breast cancer treatments," said the coalition.

Its leader, Libby Burgess, said yesterday that her group's demand for the funding extension reflected the views of cancer specialists worldwide.

She accused Women's Health Action of serving women poorly.

"I think it's very sad that women have been betrayed by this group, who should be advocating on their behalf."

But Women's Health Action director Jo Fitzpatrick denied betrayal.

"The difference is that we are a women's health advocacy group, not patient advocacy. We're ... basing our decisions on the evidence."

She said that based on trial data showing that treating 100 women with Herceptin increased the number alive and disease-free by eight, to around 86, at the two-year point, "the figures don't stack up as being a cost-effective treatment".

Federation co-convener Barbara Beckford said although breast cancer was the leading cancer-killer of New Zealand women, cardiovascular disease - mainly heart disease and stroke - killed many more.

"Perhaps we should be more concerned ... about investing our publicly funded resources into this area, where we can be assured we can make a real difference."

Ms Burgess said she was appalled that Pharmac was delaying extending funding approval for Herceptin, and noted that key authorities in Britain and Australia had supported funding it for early breast cancer.

"New Zealand already has a 28 per cent worse death rate for women with breast cancer than Australia, and Pharmac's negative decision will ensure we fall even further behind."

Roche Products (NZ) managing director Svend Petersen said the price for Herceptin was set by his parent company internationally and he was not even able to offer Pharmac price cuts on other drugs "because I've done so many deals with Pharmac that I'm no longer in a position to do that".

Auckland cancer specialist Associate Professor Vernon Harvey said Pharmac's decision was disappointing because Herceptin was producing "results we've never seen before" in terms of reducing recurrences and improving survival - but it was not surprising, because of the price.

He wished big countries would stand up to Roche over the price since New Zealand was too small to influence the company.


Women's Health Action Trust

* Founded by health activists Phillida Bunkle and Sandra Coney.

* Came to national prominence when it broke the story of "The Unfortunate Experiment" at National Women's Hospital.

* Maintains "healthy scepticism" towards medicines, supporting their use only if based on good evidence.

* Sources: The trust's director and its website.