Push to access new treatments

A recent news report has highlighted the importance of Snowdome’s work and reaffirms our mission to accelerate new treatments for Australians with blood cancers.

As reported in Melbourne’s Herald Sun newspaper on 18 June 2015, Australians with terminal blood cancer are being forced to travel overseas or pay thousands of dollars for new treatments because of difficulty accessing clinical trials. New research by two major patient advocacy groups has found that only 20 per cent of terminally ill patients who tried to obtain new medicine in Australia were successful.

The Leukaemia Foundation and Myeloma Australia are calling for a major overhaul of trials to ensure patients with lymphoma, leukaemia and myeloma can access cutting-edge treatment here in Australia. According to their research, almost 40 per cent of the 600-plus cancer patients surveyed had to pay for the new therapy with savings or assets.

One of those is a Victorian mother of three with terminal cancer who is travelling overseas to be part of a drug trial, which she hopes will give her one last chance to see her children grow up. The cruel irony is the drug was developed in Melbourne, but because of her age she cannot access the clinical trial here.

Snowdome’s mission – to accelerate new treatments for Australian blood cancer patients to help them live longer, better lives – is seeking to change these statistics.  Through Snowdome support, 11 clinical trials have commenced here in Australia and 220 Australian patients have gained access to new treatments.

There is an abundance of innovative treatments here in Australia.  There are trials of new drugs that will make a difference to patient’s lives. The limiting factor is funding.  Funding to pay for the scientists, research doctors and research nurses to run the trials and get new treatments to Australian patients faster.

Snowdome is ‘making hope real’ for Australian blood cancer patients.  We are making a big difference, but there is still so much more to do.  To help us do this, please consider a donation to Snowdome to help fund a clinical trial and help Australians living with blood cancers. To make a donation, please click here.

Thank you.