Cancer drug subsidy announced by government

Cancer drug subsidy announced by governmentThe recent announcement on Monday brought smile to people suffering from cancer. It will relieve them from heavy costs of cancer drugs.

Australian government announced that it will allot 600 million Australian dollars (432 million U.S. dollars) in the upcoming budget to subsidize expensive bowel, breast and kidney cancer drugs.

Health Minister Nicola Roxon said that from July, the bowel cancer drug Avastin will be subsidized under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, which will cost the government about 311 million Australian dollars over the next four years.

Roxon added: "These drugs are expensive. We've made room for them to be able to be funded. Sutent, Avastin and Herceptin deal with some of the most severe forms of cancer ... bowel cancer and breast cancer."

Cancer patients are waiting for the implementation of the decision of the government.