At the July 2019 Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) meeting four lung cancer treatments will be considered for reimbursement through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).
As part of the PBAC process, patients, carers, community members and health professionals are invited to make submissions in relation to the listing.
The consumer voice is very important in this decision-making process, particularly those who have been part of a clinical trial. Patients, families and carers can help decision makers understand the impact that lung cancer has and can assist the PBAC in their considerations.
Submissions are being accepted in relation to the following treatments:
- Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) in combination with chemotherapy for the first-line treatment of Stage IV non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
- Durvalumab (Imfinzi) for the treatment of patients with unresectable Stage III NSCLC whose disease has not progressed following platinum-based chemoradiation therapy.
- Osimertinib (Tagrisso) for the first-line treatment of patients with Stage IIIB (locally advanced) or Stage IV (metastatic), epidermal growth factor receptor mutation positive NSCLC.
- Atezolizumab (Tecentriq) for the first-line treatment of patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer.
For more information on how to make a submission, see the PBAC guide here.
To make a submission, click here.
Lung Foundation Australia will be making submissions to support the listing of each of these medications. If you have been part of a clinical trial and would like to share your experience as part of our submission, please contact judy@lungfoundation.com.au.
Submissions to the PBAC close on Wednesday 12 June and can be made online, via email or post.