Australian Government has committed to new reforms aimed at streamlining access to medicines including novel and life-saving therapies

[AussieNeil]

'A number of reforms recommended by the Medicines and Medical Devices Review address key recommendations the Leukaemia Foundation has made in multiple submissions to the Australian Government. These highlight the impact of drug availability for people with blood cancer and their families'

Leukaemia Foundation report: leukaemia.org.au/news/strea...

Australian Government response (in full) to the review of medicines and and Medical Devices Regulation (pdf): tga.gov.au/sites/default/fi...

Hopefully this will finally result in access to non-chemo treatment drugs for Australian CLL patients! On behalf of other Aussies with CLL, my thanks to DebinOzinLondon / Debinoz for personally addressing members of Australia's Federal Parliament at the Parliamentary Breakfast, which was specifically arranged so that MPs could hear how the current system is not meeting the needs of Australians. Deb bravely took on this task despite the personal risk of going public about her CLL, explaining how she had to leave her children monthly to fly to the UK to gain access to a drug developed from Australian research. I'm sure her personal example of how Australians are unable to access drugs more readily available in other countries, but which are repeatedly refused approval under the current process, had a significant impact resulting in the good outcome.

Neil

Photo: KI Pied Oyster Catcher

[Agiledog]

Neil,

Thanks for this post. How superb a development! To say that politicians have made a commitment is only the beginning. The devil will be in the details, as always. But I pray for our Aussie family to stay the course. Never give up! You folks have surely done the heavy lifting so far. I remember the power of Deb's story. What a spokesperson!

I am headed for National Institutes of Health USA this week to be reviewed for possible entry in the Phase II acalabrutinib trial for us relapsed folks.

Thanks for all you do for us in keeping the latest data flowing.

Bud