Posted February 15, 2024
Australia’s peak body for private cancer specialists will host a workshop for all medical oncologists and
cancer nurses to gain a practical immersion into how genomic testing can better refine diagnoses, help
predict cancer behaviour and create more effective treatment plans for their patients.
Posted 15 February 2024
Some oncologists are still battling to get their hands on genetic testing information to diagnose and treat cancer patients – and an upcoming pharma-supported workshop hopes to fix that.
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15 February 2024
PCPA invites medical oncologists and cancer nurses to immerse in the game-changing world of precision medicine
Melbourne. Due to high demand, Australia’s peak body for private cancer specialists will host a unique workshop for all medical oncologists and cancer nurses, to gain a practical immersion into how genomic testing can better refine diagnoses, help predict cancer behaviour and create more effective treatment plans for their patients.
Board member of the Private Cancer Physicians of Australia (PCPA) and workshop Master of Ceremonies, Dr Cameron McLaren, says genomic testing or precision medicine, is a powerful tool that remarkably unlocks the secrets of a patient’s cancer at the genetic level.
“Genomic testing, once a futuristic view of how cancer may be treated, is now transforming cancer care by offering personalised insights for both the patient and those who care for them,” Dr McLaren says. “As importantly as finding new treatments that can help our patients, genomic testing also allows us to choose which treatments will not help, so we can avoid subjecting our patients to toxicities of ineffective treatments.”
Health Industry Hub 1 February 2024
Pharma News: The Senate Community Affairs References Committee, chaired by Green’s Senator Janet Rice, held a public hearing in Sydney yesterday, spearheading an Opposition-led inquiry into equitable access to diagnosis and treatment for individuals with rare and less common cancers.
Addressing the committee, Associate Professor Christopher Steer, President of Private Cancer Physicians of Australia, emphasised “We need to end the cancer lottery where a patient with a particular diagnosis can get support for their treatment whereas another is denied … because their cancer is of the wrong type.”
Health Industry Hub 20 November 2023
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Please also refer to the below link to The Hon Mark Butler MP’s media release in relation to this topic.
pharma in focus 28 Aug- 1 Sept 2023
Posted 28 August 2023
Offering innovative but costly therapies is a major dilemma faced by Australian oncologists with a new survey finding they fear putting their patients under financial stress.
The survey, conducted by Servier Laboratories, aimed to unpack the barriers to cancer clinicians offering new therapies that are not available on the PBS to their patients.
While pharmaceutical companies often step in with a level of discount, known as co-pay programs, it still means considerable out of pocket costs for the patient. Only 10 per cent of the respondents said that they felt ‘comfortable’ raising the subject.
Private Cancer Physicians of Australia (PCPA) members, including radiologists, medical oncologists, and haematologist specialists were among respondents.
June 30, 2023
AstraZeneca has supported a new podcast that calls for accelerated access to innovative precision medicines and genomic profiling.The podcast is the third in the Private Cancer Physicians of Australia’s (PCPA’s) Cancer Patient Management series.
PCPA, Australia’s peak body for private cancer specialists, has joined other oncology and patient groups to advocate for removing the cost and regulatory barriers for patients with cancer accessing upfront molecular profiling.
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pharma in focus 19 June – 23 June 2023
Posted 21 June 2023
Pharma has a key role to play in helping cancer specialists meet their professional development requirements – and a new digital platform could help that partnership grow further.
The Private Cancer Physicians of Australia (PCPA) has announced the launch of a new digital platform, CPD4MedProfessional.com, which will help cancer specialists meet their updated continuing professional development (CPD) requirements.
The new online support program has been developed with the PCPA’s education partners ScienceToLife.
Currently seven pharma companies are part of the PCPA Strategic Alliance Partnership program, supporting educational activities that help medical and radiation oncologists and haematologists meet their continuing professional development (CPD) requirements.
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pharma in focus 13 June – 16 June 2023
Posted 15 June 2023
Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), described as “biological missiles” and “smart bombs” against cancer, could have the potential to replace chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer.
Speaking on the Private Cancer Physicians of Australia Podcast series, University of California San Francisco Director of Breast Oncology Professor Hope Rugo said the precise and potent surface-antibody drugs were proving effective and better tolerated than existing treatments.
“This is such an exciting topic for all of us,” Rugo said. “It pervades everything we are discussing now in terms of treatment and clinical practice and research.”
She said ADCs, which contain a cancer-specific monoclonal antibody covalently attached to a cytotoxic drug through a chemical linker, were providing effective in different breast cancer subtypes.
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Health Industry Hub 26 May 2023
Pharma News: In an event that showcased the cutting-edge advancements in cancer treatment, the Private Cancer Physicians of Australia (PCPA) joined forces with GenesisCare, their Strategic Alliance Partner, to successfully launch the inaugural PCPA Live Multidisciplinary Teams (MDT) Masterclass. This event witnessed healthcare leaders from Gilead Australia immerse themselves in the daily life of breast cancer patients undergoing complex treatments, providing a unique opportunity to gain invaluable insights into the challenges faced by patients and their MDT teams.
Under the esteemed guidance of PCPA Board member and renowned GenesisCare Medical Oncologist, Professor Stephen Clarke, alongside esteemed colleagues Dr Katrina Moore and Dr Sally Baron-Hay, more than 15 industry leaders in cancer care came together at the North Shore Campus in Sydney. This facility, which encompasses both GenesisCare and the prestigious Royal North Shore Hospital, served as the perfect setting for the interactive Masterclass.