20 March 2007

Can Roche justify cost of Herceptin?

New Zealand women with HER2-positive breast cancer will be disappointed that they are being offered only a nine week course of Herceptin instead of the recommended 12-month course of the drug, Green MP Sue Kedgley says.

"However questions need to be asked of the distributor of the drug, Roche, as to why Herceptin is so expensive.

"It is hard to believe that a 12 month course of Herceptin could cost around $100,000. If Roche were able to offer it at a more reasonable price, then more women would be able to access the drug," Ms Kedgley, the Party's Health Spokesperson, says.

"Where pharmaceutical companies are seeking a major subsidy from government-particularly for hugely expensive drugs like Herceptin - there should be some transparent process available to ensure that the subsidy is going to fund the drug, and not go into company profits.

"We demand transparency in other contracts where government subsidies are involved -for example, to ensure that bus and train operators are not charging excessively - and I believe its time to demand the same transparency of drug companies seeking large subsidies for their products," Ms Kedgley says.

ENDS