Pharmacists cover chemo costs
December 10, 2012
THE shortfall in funding for
chemotherapy drug Docetaxel is
costing a cohort of advanced care
pharmacists up to a $1million a
week, according to a statement
from the Private Cancer Physicians
of Australia (PCPA).
Subsidies for the drug were cut by
more than 70% this month,
however patients have been
shielded from the full force of what
the PCPA is calling a chemotherapy
'funding cliff', by advanced care
pharmacists who have stepped in
to absorb the cuts.
Negotiations with the Minister for
Health over the cuts are currently
ongoing, with, the PCPA saying it
believes that the “Minister is acting
in goodwill and has acknowledged
that the cost of preparing and
delivering chemotherapy infusions
outweigh the current subsidies”.
“All parties are however, working
on an alternative funding model,”
the PCPA said in a statement.
“Any changes to the current
access program will impact patients
as they may be forced into the
public system if private clinics,
cancer day centres in hospitals, and
chemotherapy services are
disrupted or closed down
altogether,” the statement added.
Pharmacists are expecting an
alternative funding model to be
backdated to December 01 to
ensure their losses are covered.
According to the PCPA, it is
imperative that a solution be
arrived at soon in order to ensure
patients aren't faced with a
disruption to the safe delivery of
their chemotherapy treatments.
In the event that the current
system for the preparation and
supply of chemotherapy drugs
through private hospitals and
private clinics becomes
unsustainable the outcomes,
according to the PCPA, are likely to
include: an influx of cancer patients
to the already over stretched public
hospital system (this will be
exaggerated in regional and rural
areas); and the introduction of
additional charges to enable the
private system to remain viable.
Another possible outcome would
be severe disruptions for patients,
particularly those in rural and
remote areas who may need to
travel further for treatment or have
delayed access to treatment.
“The Government must ensure
these highly toxic medicines can
continue to be prepared, and
delivered, safely to patients
without any additional costs to
patients, pharmacists, cancer clinics
or hospitals,” said Dr John
Bashford, past President of the
PCPA.
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