Better treatment, medicines and support for cancer patients
From 1 July, people living with cancer will be better able to access a range of treatments, medicines and support, as part of a Rudd Government package MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) rebate.
A new Medicare rebate is available for MRI scans used for the initial staging of rectal cancer. This use of MRI helps the treating doctors to decide on the best treatment to recommend to the patient to choose treatments that will help and avoid side effects of unnecessary therapy.
More than 5,000 Australians are newly diagnosed with rectal cancer every year. There are currently 120 Medicare-eligible MRI units in Australia, an increase of seven units in the past year.
Avastin
Australians living with cancer will have access to the drug bevicuzimab (Avastin®) through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). The drug is used for the treatment of colorectal cancer, also known as bowel cancer, and has been shown to prolong life and control symptoms.
Around 1,710 additional people will begin using Avastin® for the treatment of colorectal cancer in the first full financial year of PBS listing. Bowel cancer accounts for approximately 14% of all cancer registrations and is the second most common cancer in Australia.
PET services
Positron Emission Tomography (PET) is a relatively new form of medical imaging, used mainly to inform clinical decisions on how or whether to treat previously diagnosed cancer.
The Government is providing $6.8 million over four years to enable patients accessing PET services at Royal North Shore Hospital and Westmead Hospital in New South Wales and Austin Health in Victoria, to claim Medicare benefits for eligible services provided at these facilities.
Radiation oncology training
The Government is providing $6 million over three years to support the training of radiation oncology medical physicist registrars. Medical physics is a specialised field and these professionals are responsible for the setup, maintenance and calibration of linear accelerators – the machines used to provide radiation treatment for cancer patients.
These initiatives aim to address a workforce shortage and ensure that trained professionals are available to assist with the delivery of cancer treatment.
