Roche’s Herceptin costs R500,000 a year to treat one person and is unaffordable to most women, says Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi Swiss pharmaceutical manufacturer Roche said yesterday that talks with the Department of Health to widen access to its breast cancer drug trastuzumab, branded herceptin, were at an “advanced stage”.Roche holds the patent on herceptin, which costs about R500,000 for a year’s course in the private sector. Its high price means many medical schemes do not pay for it, or will pay only for a limited course.It is generally not available for public sector patients.Herceptin is used in conjunction with other therapies for a particularly aggressive form of the disease known as HER2 breast cancer. This form of cancer affects between 20% and 30% of women with the disease. “We are at an advanced stage of finalising discussions with the South African Department of Health to improve equitable access to herceptin in the public sector. We are also committed to working ...
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