Public Summary Document MSAC consideration Application No. 1554
Universal health care in Australia is unique; it acts as a funder not a provider with partial rebate of the fee for medical services through the Medical Benefits Schedule (MBS). The funding is always a compromise between what is desirable and what is affordable.
The eligibility is determined by advice from the Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC). There is constant pressure for new funding of advances in technology or therapeutics. Application 1554 relates to genetic testing of ovarian cancer patients.
Currently there is funding only for testing of germ line or inherited mutations of the BRCA1/2 gene for patients who have recurrent ovarian cancer. The application sought expansion of testing to include somatic or acquired mutations at the time of initial diagnosis.
The recommendation is that somatic and germ line testing be combined in one cheaper and quicker new test at the time of diagnosis. This means there is a need to increase funding for PARP inhibitor therapy with more patients being eligible sooner.
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