“Treatments like this – CAR-T therapies and others coming through in a rapidly changing medical world – I hope to be available to everyone who needs them in Australia and NZ (and worldwide),” said actor Sam Neill, who is now cancer-free after battling lymphoma.
Neill’s advocacy shines a light on the significant differences in blood cancer treatment access between Australia and New Zealand. In Australia, CAR T-cell therapy is publicly funded for certain blood cancers, providing hope for many patients. However, across the Tasman Sea, New Zealand patients face a stark reality: they must seek treatment offshore, often at exorbitant costs exceeding NZ$700,000 per patient.
The situation has left many Kiwis like Andrew Mackintosh feeling frustrated. After waiting eight months for a stem cell transplant due to hospital capacity issues, he expressed his anger: “The gaps that I had in the system, they cost me more. They cost me in terms of the outcomes that I’ve got, they’ve cost me in terms of not being able to get back to the workforce.” This sentiment resonates with many others facing similar challenges.
Blood cancer remains a pressing health issue in New Zealand, with approximately 27,000 people living with various types of blood cancers such as leukaemia and myeloma. The likelihood of developing blood cancer stands at one in 18 over a person’s lifetime. Despite its prevalence, it is the third-leading cause of cancer death and cannot be prevented or screened for in most cases.
Neill’s efforts come amid a backdrop of increasing awareness and calls for change. The New Zealand government plans to establish a task force following a recent report on blood cancer care. Advocates like Mackintosh urge for improvements: “We also need to close some of the gaps in terms of treatment differences across the country, so removing what gets called the ‘post-code lottery’ for cancer patients.”
As discussions unfold around healthcare funding and treatment availability, both countries stand at a crossroad. The disparities in access to cutting-edge treatments like CAR T-cell therapy highlight an urgent need for reform. Neill’s voice adds momentum to this crucial conversation that could reshape the future landscape of blood cancer care.
