Major step forward for life-saving cancer ‘holy grail’

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has approved life-saving CAR T-cell therapy to treat myeloma.

The major breakthrough comes after a campaign from one of the country’s most highly qualified and respected cancer doctors, Professor Miles Prince, to make the treatment, which doctors say may cure up to 80 per cent of cancers within 30 years, available to Australians.

Press PLAY below to hear what’s changed and what it means for sick Aussies

Professor Prince told Neil Mitchell “suddenly the mood has changed”.

“The TGA approval means the government … has recognised that it’s safe and it’s efficacious and funding should be pursued,” he said.

CAR T therapy, which costs about $600,000 per patient, has not yet been approved by the Medical Services Advisory Committee for taxpayer-funded subsidisation.

It’ll be reassessed by the committee later this year.