MP appeals to Abbott over cancer drug

By Rebecca Fraser
HOLT MP Anthony Byrne is trying to secure a meeting with Federal Health Minister Tony Abbott to discuss the breast cancer drug Herceptin.
In a speech to Federal Parliament just over a fortnight ago, Mr Byrne called for the potentially life-saving drug to be placed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).
The Holt MP also spoke of the 28,000 signatures he had received on behalf of a woman fighting the disease, demanding that Herceptin be placed on the PBS as a matter of urgency.
He was one of seven members to speak in Parliament on the Herceptin issue between 19 and 22 June.
During his speech Mr Byrne said he had risen to talk about the “inexcusable delay” experienced by women and men suffering cancer in being able to finally access the drug on the scheme.
Mr Byrne said he wanted to discuss the Herceptin issue through the eyes of two extraordinary women fighting the devastating effects of breast cancer and demanding the Government take action to ease their plight.
These women were Hallam mother of two Kathy Levanic and Yarra Valley resident Maree Bissels.
“These two women have been to hell and back. They have fought a life-threatening illness and endured the hardships of treatment and are very angry at John Howard and Tony Abbott for the delays in providing a drug that they believe could save men and women in Australia,” Mr Byrne said.
Mr Byrne is now trying to secure a meeting with Mr Abbott to discuss the issue in person and said he estimated that more than 100,000 signatures had now been collected.
“I will continue this campaign until this drug is listed on the PBS and women like Maree and Kathy won’t have to mortgage their homes to save their lives,” he said.
Herceptin is known to significantly reduce the risk of breast cancer returning, but is only available on the PBS to advanced HER2-positive breast cancer sufferers, not HER2-positive breast cancer sufferers in their early stages such as Ms Levanic and Ms Bissels.