Mother sells family home for cancer treatment

Corsa

Corsa

Hi All

I was checking through news.com.au today in my lunch break and was particularly moved by the plight of this poor family.

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,17985055%255E661,00.html

Tania Calley, a mother of four who has breast cancer cannot afford necessary medications to pay for the expensive cancer medication "Herceptin" which is not subsidised by the Federal Government when the cancer is in the early stages.

As a result, they are selling there family home to pay for the drug. This is on top of having to go through a mastectomy and chemotherapy.

On this basis, today I decided to make a donation to the Women on a Mission fund who assist women like Tania and other breast cancer suffers pay for the appropriate treatment.

Perhaps others on this forum, who may also be moved by this families plight, might also consider making a small contribution as well?

Best Wishes

Corsa
 
"Perhaps others on this forum, who may also be moved by this families plight, might also consider making a small contribution as well?"

Good for you Corsa. I recently donated to the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia - i realise that women get a lot more publicity (Kylie Minogue etc) but felt that the men need some support as well... especially considering that as many men die from prostate cancer as women of breast cancer.
 
Good on you Corsa!

Saw the article as well and it really hit home for I know people who have been through something similiar and the kitchen top that I was going to buy this week can wait till next month and have decided to donate the money directly to Tania Calley. The governement has a heck of alot to answer for when vital medication is only financially available till one is so damn ill. Maybe some of these people who have won tatts in the past few months or people living in million $$ houses or driving cars that cost the price of the medication should help her out.

As for Mark saying its a timely reminder that people have medical insurance...some people cannot afford insurance and if they can insurance does not cover all aspects of Chemo etc.

Maggie
 
I find it appalling that a medication like this is only subsidised by the Government once a patient is terminal — i.e. when the Government knows that a person is only going to need it for a certain amount of time.

Our so-called health care system, (aka. disease management system), is seriously flawed.

I hope the best for Mrs Calley. She is in a terrible position.
 
Merovingian said:
I find it appalling that a medication like this is only subsidised by the Government once a patient is terminal — i.e. when the Government knows that a person is only going to need it for a certain amount of time.
Click to expand...

I think the main problem is that drug research is in the hands of private companies.. they decide what to research and its NOT driven by the greatest health need, its driven by drugs that will make the most profit. The holy grail for drug companies are not cures but rather drugs that keep diseases "at bay", drugs you need to keep on taking in order to stay healthy..

I firmly believe that we should make some body like the World Health Organisation responsible for drug research, all countries should contribute and then based on a needs analysis their research will be directed to where the most bang for buck will be acheived.. No doubt starting with Malaria and Tuberculosis.. Instead of a course of drugs costing $70,000 the course of drugs will cost $70 and the other $69,930 will go into research rather than into shareholders pockets.. Surely it has to be self-sustaining, our Prescription Benefit Scheme currently bears the brunt of the cost of drugs in this country, an outflow of money to private companies.. Centralise the research to give most benefit and drop the cost of drugs.. same amount of research being done, lower cost medicines, appropriate research, less tainted research? The PBS in essence becomes a research funder rather than a consumer.
 
duncan_m said:
I firmly believe that we should make some body like the World Health Organisation responsible for drug research, all countries should contribute and then based on a needs analysis their research will be directed to where the most bang for buck will be acheived.. No doubt starting with Malaria and Tuberculosis.. Instead of a course of drugs costing $70,000 the course of drugs will cost $70 and the other $69,930 will go into research rather than into shareholders pockets.. .
Click to expand...


Hi Duncan

I agree with your sentiment but doubt that a body like WHO would have the drive to persue answers hard enough. I am happier with it in private hands.

Re Malaria, I think Bill Gates has made it a life quest to solve that one, and has donated Millions/Billions already.

Also interesting that "people" say the governemnt should fund this drug. Don't forget the govt get their money from us. The current PBS is a major federal govt expense. How much more are we prepared to tip in?

This is going to be an increasing area of focus. Medical Science is making some incredible break throughs, but it costs big bucks to develop, trial and have approved new drugs. How much are we prepared to pay for longevity?

The public forget about the real cost of drugs a la this story. Perhaps when we get a prescription, at around $32, we should also be advised what the real cost is. And pensioners get prescriptions for around $4....is this too cheap?


GarryK
 
I agree whole heartedly with Duncan...the drug companies aren't there to find a cure for any disease, if they did find cures they'd be out of business in a flash! Their profits come from making drugs that people need ongoing hence why Gates can put all the $$ he likes into finding a cure for Malaria but unfortunately he won't achieve that, his $$ would be better spent on getting the government to regulate the whole thing.

As for PBS being a major government expense and how much are we willing ot put into as tax payers? Ummm Garry I'd rather put my tax money into PBS than paying for a million $$ worth of fire works for 5 minutes on New Years Eve, or helping them pay 70k for a new mahogany desk for their office or for that matter giving mums 5k each time they have a child, do you know how many people have children each day? Those 5k's add up (Pleasee!!! if you can't afford to have one, don't!)

The public forget the real cost of making these drugs?? Do you know how much profit these drug companies make? Its in the millions! So don't tell me it costs 70k for a bottle of 20 tablets, thats crock.

Should we pay for people to access PBS medication at $4 a hit? Bloody oath! When the government stop wasting my tax money on rubbish like above then and only then I think people should whine about the cost of PBS.

Maggie :)
 
Hi All

Just to let you know that after a day of this poor family's plight being told through the media, people around Australia have rallied behind this couple, and the outcome is that they may not need to sell there house now which is a fantastic outcome.

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,18001549%255E2862,00.html

In all reality, this result could probably have been reached by 7000 generous souls donating $10 each and the goal of $70,000 to pay for this medication could be acheived.

$10 equates to a sandwich and a latte for lunch!

Thanks to all who have made a comment on this post, and who were also moved to make a contribution - I am sure this family appreciate any assistance they can get.

Irrespective of what the government should/could do moving forward, I think a couple of things can be highlighted -

1 - we have to lobby the government where we want to effect change and we have to help others who are less fortunate than ourselves and are in need of help. Small amounts from many people do make a difference.

2 - we need to become financial independant so (heaven forbid) one of our family members were effected by something like this - we have the means to cope and buy necessary medications etc and not risk losing our homes etc

Best Wishes and many thanks

Corsa
 
Corsa said:
2 - we need to become financial independent so (heaven forbid) one of our family members were effected by something like this - we have the means to cope and buy necessary medications etc and not risk losing our homes etc
Click to expand...

or become mates with a producer at ACA or TT so your story gets aired and the public donate money to help you out.:D

While I feel for these people, I do find it somewhat unfair how the minority that manage to generate publicity, seem to be set and have money rolling in from the generous public. What about the hundreds (or thousands) of other people in the same situation, that can't get the publicity from ACA or TT to enable the donation of money because it is not in the story rotation plans for that episode.

I think duncan's suggestion of a central research company has merit, then it could contract the manufacturing out the drug companies.

Maggie said:
don't tell me it costs 70k for a bottle of 20 tablets, thats crock.
Click to expand...
Maggie, it is not the tablets that cost 70k - it is all of the R&D that goes into the development of the drug and all of the thousands of failed drugs in development as well. I am not saying that they don't make large profits - they do, but you do need to think about the cost of development

Cheers
Mike
 
Mike F said:
Maggie, it is not the tablets that cost 70k - it is all of the R&D that goes into the development of the drug and all of the thousands of failed drugs in development as well.
Click to expand...
I talked to somebody who worked in drug research. They used to try thousands and thousands of substances, each one going through very many tests, to see if there was any reaction in any test. Not many of those substances proved useful- but you can perhaps imagine the costs of the number of failed tests.
 
"In 2000, the pharmaceutical industry was, once again, the most profitable U.S. industry, and profit margins in the industry were nearly four times the average of Fortune 500 companies. According to the Families USA report, three companies - Merck, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and Abbott Laboratories - received twice as much in net profits than they spent on research and development. Three other companies - Eli Lilly, Schering-Plough, and Allergan - received more money in net profits than they spent on research and development. "

Need I say any more?

I'm sorry I'm not trying to antagonise anyone but despite all those failed attempts they still come out wayyyyyyyyy ahead.

Maggie :)
 
Maggie said:
"In 2000, the pharmaceutical industry was, once again, the most profitable U.S. industry, and profit margins in the industry were nearly four times the average of Fortune 500 companies. According to the Families USA report, three companies - Merck, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and Abbott Laboratories - received twice as much in net profits than they spent on research and development. Three other companies - Eli Lilly, Schering-Plough, and Allergan - received more money in net profits than they spent on research and development. "

Need I say any more?

Maggie :)
Click to expand...

Yep.

Gee, I didn't know profits were so sinful. I wonder what they did with all those bags of money?:rolleyes:

Besides, it is a high risk industry.
There are many examples of litigation on solutions thought to be safe. Usually years later.
Their product lasts only as long as a competitor comes up with something better.

From the Govt Health Dept.
"The PBS covered around 170 million prescriptions in the year to June 2005. This equates to about eight prescriptions per person in Australia for the year.

With new and more effective medicines helping us to lead longer and healthier lives, the PBS is growing each year. The cost of the PBS is currently around $6.0 billion per year. "

I am not an apologist for the Drug co's, but we need to be realistic. I'm betting the ladies plight is just one of thousands every day.

What do we do...make all drugs free?
Then ban fireworks, Christmas decorations, subsidy to the arts etc etc...it's an old argument that these and expenses like health are mutually exclusive.

We are very fortunate that Australian Researchers are world leaders. Let's encourage them.

How much would we be willing to pay for a cure for cancer. Name your price.
The cost of the drug would be far outweighed by the savings in hospital costs.

GarryK
 
:) Garry...

What did they do with their profits? Well I bet they aren't driving round in a Datsun 180b thats for sure and I'm sure they don't live in 100k houses...

I didn't know know the government spent that much on PBS, but regardless yeh I do think they should cut down on their 70k desks and spending 1 million on fireworks for 5 minutes and handing out 5k to people for having a child.

I encourage our researches to find a cure and not a bandaide solution but until there is a regulatory body that won't happen. Imagine for one moment if they found a cure for cancer and the common cold and malaria etc they would be out of business.

How much would I be willing to pay for a cure for cancer? The cost isn't just in the medication, its in the transport getting to appointments, its in the cost of finding accommodation close to hospital, its in the cost of counselling and loss of wages. How much would I pay if I knew someone had a cure? Everything I've got. This subject hits home for me because I've been in this situation so am not going to write any more about it.

I'm so not having a go at you Garry, I do get where you come from.

Maggie
 
How hard a decision would it be for the government to make, 70k in medication thus giving the patient a chance to once again pay taxes versus 100k in medicare bills and 70k for the same medication once the patient becomes terminal with only one more tax to pay.

Decisions decisions decisions
 
Maggie said:
I'm sorry I'm not trying to antagonise anyone but despite all those failed attempts they still come out wayyyyyyyyy ahead.
Click to expand...
I'd be guessing it's a high risk industry.

Those that you see now are those that have found the magic elixir, or those that are big enough to support the research.

There are probably companies who have not been able to survive.

The company which discovered Viagra has made a motza.

But they weren't even looking for a drug of that sort- they were looking for a heart drug, and had people reporting an unusual side effect.

There's probably a lot which have fallen by the wayside.
 
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