Cancer Patient Relocates to Australia for Life-Saving Treatment

A cancer patient from New Zealand has relocated to Australia to access life-prolonging medication that is not funded in her home country. Jo Neep, diagnosed with myeloma, made the decision after discovering that the drug daratumumab, vital for her treatment, is available in Australia at a fraction of the cost compared to New Zealand.

Neep, who had previously lived in Australia and frequently visited New Zealand, moved to the South Island in 2015. Her life took a drastic turn when she was diagnosed with myeloma in 2017 and underwent a stem cell transplant. Initially, she accepted the limitations of the treatment options available in New Zealand, believing medical professionals had access to the best resources. However, by 2022, doctors were advising her that superior treatment options were available across the Tasman Sea.

Daratumumab, an immunotherapy drug, is funded in Australia at a cost of approximately $45 per dose, while patients in New Zealand who seek the same treatment privately face expenses upwards of $10,000 per dose. Neep remarked, “It’s a no brainer. You just have to go.” Her situation is not unique; she is one of several medical migrants from New Zealand seeking better treatment options in Australia.

The issue extends beyond Neep’s individual circumstances. According to Dr. Rodger Tiedemann, a consultant haematologist, around 400 individuals are diagnosed with myeloma in New Zealand each year, and many could benefit from daratumumab. Clinical trials have indicated that optimal use of this drug can lead to survival improvements of four years or more.

Patients and advocates have begun expressing frustration over what they perceive as broken promises regarding access to cancer medications. In 2023, National Party leader Christopher Luxon emphasized the need for Kiwis to have access to better treatments within New Zealand. “Every minute counts in the battle against cancer,” he stated, underscoring the urgency for improved healthcare support.

Despite the political promises, the Cancer Control Agency’s recent report did not include daratumumab among the twelve medicines deemed to have substantial clinical benefits. Dr. Tiedemann criticized this decision, highlighting that a narrow analysis ignored a significant amount of relevant medical literature. He pointed out, “Their reporting really smells of this agenda to downplay what Kiwis are missing out on.”

In response to concerns raised regarding the accessibility of cancer treatments, the Cancer Control Agency clarified that its analysis was intended to identify gaps in New Zealand’s drug funding compared to Australia. The agency noted that its scoring system for medications was based on available clinical trial data, and it did not determine which drugs should be funded.

The New Zealand government has made efforts to address healthcare funding, increasing Pharmac’s budget by $604 million to support the introduction of 66 new medicines. However, Health Minister Simeon Brown acknowledged that only six of these are designated for blood cancers, with none specifically targeting myeloma patients.

Leukaemia and Blood Cancer NZ reported that merely 115 patients would benefit from the new medications in the first year of funding, leaving numerous others without the necessary support. Neep expressed her discontent with the government’s prioritization of cancer treatment, stating, “I’m really grateful to the medical people in New Zealand. I know their hands are tied.”

As Neep embarks on her new journey in Australia for better medical care, she urges others to continue advocating for change in New Zealand’s healthcare system. “It has to change at some stage,” she remarked, emphasizing the need for improved access to life-saving treatments for all patients.