Advocacy in action With your support and the power of our Network’s voices, we drove significant changes across Australia to improve access to critical treatments and address gaps in breast cancer care.
Making metastatic breast cancer count BCNA’s round table in Canberra brought together leading experts in data, research, and government to understand why people with metastatic breast cancer were not being consistently counted on cancer registries. Within 24 hours, we had commitments to find a way forward to this decades- long problem. Within four months, the Prime Minister announced $1.5 million to set up a new national cancer data alliance that will finally make people living with metastatic disease feel visible and ensure the health system has the visibility to respond to their needs. Affordable access to critical breast cancer treatments We contributed to making innovative breast cancer treatments more affordable for those who need them the most: • Keytruda: Approved for early breast cancer for an estimated 3000 people living with triple negative breast cancer reducing their individual cost by approximately $195,000. Expanded for an estimated 490 patients living with metastatic disease saving what the government estimates is $243,000 per patient. • Enhertu: Now available for up to $30 per script for around 580 Australians with metastatic HER2+ positive breast cancer. Prior to PBS listing, this drug cost $10,000 to $15,000 every three weeks! The government predict that this will save an estimated $425,000 per person.
• Verzenio and Lynparza : Two crucial drugs to treat high-risk early breast cancer have been successfully recommended for government subsidy. Responding to local breast cancer care gaps When Queensland breast cancer patients told us they were facing unacceptable waiting times for diagnosis and treatment, we quickly generated media attention to prompt immediate response from the state government. Improving regional access to breast screening technologies By speaking up on behalf of thousands of women in regional communities who could not easily access public breast screening services: • The Victorian Government invested $4.5 million in the state-of- the-art Peta Murphy Breast Imaging Suite at Frankston Hospital. • The Tasmanian Government committed $15 million to make sure women did not have to travel interstate or attend hospitals to have a mammogram. Harnessing consumer voices Over 2,500 members and 168 healthcare professionals responded to our call for help to improve our services and resources and better tailor them to reflect the different needs, preferences, and experiences across our Network.
As someone living with metastatic breast cancer, I am incredibly excited that it is now possible to recognise those living with the disease. Until now we have been hidden in plain sight and vastly underestimated in numbers. - Lisa, BCNA Consumer Representative
BREAST CANCER NETWORK AUSTRALIA
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