Media Release

KAP Leader and Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter has applauded the announcement on the weekend that lung cancer fighting drug Keytruda has been added to the Pharmaceuticals Benefit Scheme (PBS). 

Under the PBS, from this Thursday, patients that require treatment for metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) will now pay a subsidised cost of about $40 per script, rather than an $11,300 non-subsidised cost per script. 

Mr Katter has been at the front and centre of the fight for cancer treatments to be subsidised for patients, with Keytruda being the third big win in the last 12 months.

Breast cancer drugs Ribociclib and Palbocicilib were added to the PBS in April this year which prompted Mr Katter to write to the Minister for Health, Greg Hunt, requesting that he add Keytruda to the PBS after receiving a flood of appeals via his electorate offices and on social media.

Of the recent news, Mr Katter said, “We are very appreciative of Minister Hunt on this issue.

“We took it up with Minister Hunt personally and the Minister has done his best to provide a satisfactory outcome.

“This was speedily processed which has not been the experience in past years, and so we are very, very pleased.

“We thank all those fighters that raised this with me and my office.”
—ENDS—