Our submissions to MSAC and PBAC: Advocating for improved healthcare and treatment access
The Leukaemia Foundation engages with governments at all levels to advocate for access to appropriate testing and affordable treatments on behalf of people living with blood cancer. We bring the voice of patients through written submissions when advisory committees such as the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) and Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC) consider recommending a blood cancer diagnostic or therapy to be listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) or Medicare Benefits Scheme (MBS) to make it more affordable and accessible for patients.
The Leukaemia Foundation aims to provide consumer experiences in our submissions for all relevant blood cancer diagnostics, drugs, and therapies, and particularly for new indications considered by PBAC and MSAC. As blood cancer has high mortality rates, significantly impacts quality of life, and is costly to treat, new and improved blood cancer treatments need to be made more accessible and affordable for patients.
Over 2023-2024 the Leukaemia Foundation made 12 submissions to the PBAC and MSAC urging them to consider recommending the following blood cancer treatments for listing on the PBS and MBS respectively:
PBAC:
- Zanubrutinib for the treatment of treatment naive CLL/SLL
- Ibrutinib for use in combination with venetoclax, for the treatment of previously untreated CLL or SLL.
- Brentuximab Vedotin for the first-line treatment of advanced classical Hodgkin lymphoma.
- Elranatamab for the treatment of RRMM in patients who have received at least three prior therapies.
- Blinatumomab for the treatment of newly diagnosed B-ALL in patients who are MRD-negative after initial induction chemotherapy.
- Epcoritamab for the treatment of relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL).
- Vutrisiran for the treatment of hATTR amyloidosis in adult patients with stage 1 or stage 2 polyneuropathy.
- Momelotinib for continuing treatment of intermediate or high-risk primary myelofibrosis, postpolycythaemia vera myelofibrosis or post-essential thrombocythaemia myelofibrosis in patients with moderate to severe anaemia and who are Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor naïve or have been treated with ruxolitinib.
MSAC:
- Axicabtagene ciloleucel for the treatment of relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL).
- Ciltacabtagene autoleucel (cilta-cel) for the treatment of relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma as a fifth line plus (5L+) therapy.
- Brexucabtagene autoleucel for the treatment of adult patients (≥26 years of age) with relapsed or refractory B-precursor adult acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (R/R aALL).
- Axicabtagene ciloleucel for the treatment of adult patients with Grade 1, Grade 2 or Grade 3a follicular lymphoma and relapsed or refractory disease after two or more lines of therapy.