To the Honourable the Speaker and Members of the House of Representatives assembled in parliament:

The petition of certain citizens of Australia draws to the attention of the House a treatment available for some types of Breast Cancer.

• Some breast cancers test positive for a growth factor or protein called Her2. This Her2 tells breast cancer cells how to grow.
• A drug called HERCEPTIN stops Her2 from working, so the breast cancer cells stop growing.
• This means that Herceptin would help greatly in further reducing risk of future recurrence of breast cancer.
• However, Herceptin is NOT supplied on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) for all stages of breast cancer and incurs a cost of $66,000 for 1 year of treatment.
• This cost is prohibitive, meaning women either do not use this treatment, or they suffer tremendous financial hardships on top of their cancer struggle.

Your petitioners therefore humbly pray the House to include the drug Herceptin on the Pharmaceutical Benefit Scheme (PBS) for use by women at any stage of breast cancer who test positive to Her2.