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Strontium treatment for women with secondary breast cancer.
Australia's supply of Samarium153
(Quadramet) has been interrupted and is currently unavailable due to
production problems. Quadramet is funded under Medicare as a treatment
option for bone metastases for women with secondary breast cancer.
The Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) expect that Samarium153 will be available again soon. While it is not available, some medical practitioners are substituting Samarium153 with another drug, Strontium89
(Metastron). Strontium is not funded under Medicare when used to treat
secondary breast cancer so there is a high out-of-pocket cost for women.
DoHA has arranged a process whereby special reimbursement claims can be made by women needing this treatment. A fact sheet with more information about the reimbursement arrangements, and a reimbursement form, can be found on the Medical Benefits Schedule (MBS) Online website at: www.health.gov.au/internet/mbsonline/publishing.nsf/
Content/MBSOnline-News-Reimbursement-Breast-Cancer-Fact-Sheet
Women are advised to forward their accounts
or unpaid invoices with their contact details and the details of
treating practitioner to the Department of Health and Ageing. The
information should be sent to:
Michael Ryan
Director
Schedule Production and Review Section
The Department of Health and Ageing
MDP 106
GPO Box 9848
Canberra ACT 2601
Or
Sent via fax marked "Attention Michael Ryan" to fax (02) 6289 4996.
Michael Ryan can be contacted directly on
(02) 6289 5892 or the toll free number 1800 020 103. He is happy to
speak to any patient or practitioner who is using the treatment and
needs assistance or more information about the reimbursement process.
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