Media Coverage

Donna MacMillan had hoped the drug she needs, Ibrance, would be recommended for Government funding in the recommendations from a PHARMAC sub-committee in December. But alas, she has missed out due to exclusions –she has already paid for some months of the treatment herself.

Breast Cancer Aotearoa Coalition and Breast Cancer Foundation NZ are 100% behind calls for a review of PHARMAC. It is long overdue. See what BCAC Chair Libby Burgess and BCFNZ Chief Executive Evangelia Henderson have to say.

Holding back tears and facing a panel of MPs, breast cancer fighter Wiki Mulholland was a woman on a mission – fighting to get two life-extending breast cancer drugs funded by Pharmac.

Women were supported by their whānau and family when they marched to Parliament to present petitions calling for funding of Ibrance and Kadcyla, and a letter calling for a review of PHARMAC. Wiki Malton-Mulholland and her husband Malcolm Mulholland speak out.

Huge turnout of Metavivors and their supporters at Parliament on 16 October! We called for urgent funding for vital breast cancer medicines as well as an investigation of PHARMAC’s funding and processes.

Women with terminal breast cancer explain what two more years of life would mean to them and their family if life-extending drugs become funded. They are calling for funding of Ibrance and Kadcyla.

Mareta Marsters-Grubner gives a personal insight into living with terminal breast cancer, and explains how much she would appreciate being given more time if the drug Ibrance becomes funded. She was going to march to Parliament with a group calling for Ibrance and Kadcyla, but regrettably had to go to hospital.

High profile breast cancer medicines advocate Sarah Cato organises a fundraising event to get funding for her treatment and to raise the profile of the need for public funding.

Clare Dunlop is speaks out publicly about the need for medicines for women such as herself. In her case she needs Kadcyla, which she says would cost her $8300 a time, while the infusion costs a further $1200.

Professor John Zalcberg, an oncologist and professor at Monash University describes the extremely poor access to modern cancer medicines in New Zealand. Zalcberg and doctors in NZ were discussingthe issue with health officials, including the Minister of Health.