Recently there has been a lot of media exposure regarding treatment issues and costs facing cancer patients and their families in New Zealand.
Scientific advances have meant that new drugs are being trialled and released rapidly, although not all of these are necessarily easily accessible or publicly funded.
Duncan Garner's recent article highlights the lack of funding for Keytruda, a drug that is clearly working for some melanoma sufferers. This article details the financial strain caused to patients' and their families trying to find the money to pay for treatment that may keep them alive but which they find is not funded by their medical insurance or Pharmac.
Did you know: According to GEN Re data between 2004-2008, 85% of female & 45% of male trauma claims were for cancer.
(GEN Re is a global reinsurer)