Rare Cancers Australia (RCA) has welcomed the release of the highly anticipated final report of the Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Review, and the inclusion of so many of the key asks submitted through the consultation process.
RCA CEO, Christine Cockburn, said the publication of the Review's 50 recommendations, which the Government has been considering since May, is an important milestone in modernising Australia's HTA processes.
“We welcome the publication of the HTA Review’s final report and its recommendations for reform, which are desperately needed,” Ms Cockburn stated.
“People living with rare, less common and complex cancers have been waiting for change that will deliver timely and affordable access to the medicines they need; now they need an urgent response and action from the Government to make these recommendations a reality”.
“Australia’s HTA processes were designed primarily for common diseases with large patient numbers, meaning many people diagnosed with rare cancers, and other rare diseases, have been left behind and excluded from accessing innovative medicines and technologies.
“The Review recommends some major changes, many of which will tackle systemic issues we have been highlighting for the past decade.
“We are particularly pleased to see the recommendation (#38) to develop further guidance on methods for assessing tumour-agnostic therapies, genomic technologies and gene therapies. This was a key focus in our submission to the Review and will enable medicines to be approved for use in multiple cancer types that share a genetic biomarker.
“By opening up assessment in this way, thousands more rare and less common cancer patients could gain access to medicines already available and subsidised for common cancers. This is a key step toward equity across cancer types,” she said.
Ms Cockburn also welcomed the recommendation (#20) to establish a bridging fund to facilitate earlier, temporary subsidised access to eligible therapies of high added therapeutic value that address high unmet clinical need for patients.
“Prolonged negotiations between TGA registration and PBS listing mean patients wait an average of 466 days for an approved medicine to be subsidised. These systemic challenges mean many people cannot access potentially life-saving and life-changing therapies when they need to,” Ms Cockburn continued.
“We need commitment from the Government to establish a funding mechanism that solves these barriers for rare cancer patients. One that enables early access to effective treatments will ensure that people don’t have to choose between paying high out-of-pocket costs, or missing out altogether, during a protracted negotiation process that can occur following the initial approval for use.”
Many other recommendations aligned with RCA’s submission, including (#13) those enabling pathways for highly specialised therapies and other therapies co-funded by the Australian and state and territory governments with an aim to improve processes, accountability and timeliness of access for highly specialised treatments and other therapies.
In addition, the Review supports the need for greater patient-involvement and transparency in HTA processes and decision-making, including the recommendation (#26) to develop an explicit qualitative values framework in consultation with stakeholders.
“RCA is looking forward to the timely implementation of these findings.” Ms Cockburn continued.
“We welcome immediate reform in this space so that a more flexible, responsive, and importantly patient and future-focused system that can keep pace with science and innovation.”
"We are committed to working with patients and partners across the sector to swiftly implement these necessary changes, improve consumer participation, and tackle the current delays and inequities in our system to ensure equitable access for everyone with cancer in Australia,” Ms Cockburn concluded.
ENDS
Media Contact
Alicia Ballesty, Head of Strategic Communications
Rare Cancers Australia
Alicia.ballesty@rarecancers.org.au
0499 880 742