colorectal cancer drug Erbitux blocked in canada

colorectal cancer drug Erbitux blocked in canada

From Monday's Globe and Mail


One of the world's most costly cancer drugs will not be marketed in Canada because the distributor can't charge the price it wants -- one a federal board has found to be too high.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Canada has taken the unusual move of not launching the colorectal cancer drug Erbitux after it could not agree on a price with the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board. The drug was approved by Health Canada nine months ago.

"For the time being, we made the decision not to launch Erbitux because the value is not in line with the innovation it brings to patients," said Marc Osborne, director of public relations for Bristol-Myers Squibb Canada, the company that licenses and distributes the product in Canada.

Mr. Osborne refused to say how much the company wants to charge for the drug, as did the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board, which regulates the price of patented medicines to ensure they are not excessive.

The Cancer Advocacy Coalition of Canada estimates the drug, used to treat advanced cases of colorectal cancer, costs about $56,000 for a standard course of therapy.

At the same time, the Ontario government is spending millions for cancer patients to receive Erbitux in U.S. hospitals, where the drug commands one of the highest prices in the world.

lance Armstrong's ex

Fellow cancer survivor and my hero,lance Armstrong's ex wife is on Oprah's show, explaining why she divorced, he's well rid of this peroxide twit, save me from another whining spoiled brat,making millions from books and some poor schmucks wallet

.

classy courageous pair!

What a classy courageous pair!
widow of Superman, Christopher Reeve's,just died of lung cancer at only 44.

Lance Armstrong wins again!!!

Seven-time winner of the Tour de France

Armstrong won the prestigious Tour de France an unprecedented seven straight times, from 1999-2005.

http://www.lancearmstrong.com/

http://tinyurl.com/cb9bn

"October 2, 1996. The day I was diagnosed with cancer was the day I began to live. Cancer opened my eyes. Cancer changed me – physically and mentally.

But October 2nd was also the day I joined a team of more than 10 million survivors trying to make sense of a system that doesn’t always know what to do with us. During my treatment, there were things I wanted to change. Talking to other survivors, I’ve realized I’m not alone in wanting to improve our health care system to better support the needs of survivors.

It’s time for our nation to address our issues. I’ve met with members of Congress and with the President and encouraged them to listen to survivors, and to figure out ways to fix the problems that survivors face in America. But they need to hear from you. Let’s tell our stories and let them know about the issues we’ve seen that need to be fixed. Together, we can help change things for the better. As a team, we can make a difference for survivors." -Lance Armstrong

Join the team and stand with Lance and all Americans living with cancer. Together we will urge Congress and the President to devote more time and attention to survivorship issues, listen to the needs of cancer patients, and increase funding for cancer research.

ABC anchor to begin chemotherapy

the public never thinks about cancer,untill a celeb gets it

Peter Jennings has lung cancer,

ABC anchor to begin chemotherapy

Jennings, 66, has been feeling ill for the past several months

Jennings is an ex-smoker. ABC News spokeswoman Cathie Levine said the anchorman quit smoking "a number of years ago."

excellent site http://www.cancermonthly.com/

excellent site http://www.cancermonthly.com/
Patients diagnosed with cancer are often prescribed drugs they know little about, and researching the risks and benefits can be daunting, if not impossible, in the time frame a cancer patient has to work with

new Cancer Forums site

new Cancer Forums site

http://cancerforums.net