[Greens-Media] Lifeline opens in Hobart for some, but not all, cancer patients

[Hollo, Tim (Sen C. Milne)]

Lifeline opens in Hobart for some, but not all, cancer patients

Hobart, Monday 17 November 2008

Tasmania's first PET scanner, a vital diagnostic tool that can
dramatically improve treatment for cancer patients, begins operation
today, but still only some cancer patients will be able to access it.

Australian Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne, has been
fighting for this critical medical service for Tasmania since taking her
Senate seat. She will continue to fight for all cancer sufferers to be
able to access PET scans in Hobart.

"I really welcome the fact that some Tasmanian cancer sufferers now have
the opportunity to have these vital scans done at home, instead of
having to travel to the mainland," Senator Milne said.

"However, the Medicare rebate will not apply to all forms of cancer,
meaning many sick Tasmanians will still need to travel to the mainland.

"Tasmania would have had a PET scanner much sooner if the clear evidence
presented to government not been tampered with back in 2000. The Medical
Services Advisory Council (MSAC) report in 2000 should, according to
experts, have said that PET scans were safe, clinically effective and
potentially cost effective. But the report was tampered with.

"The tampering with that report has meant that, for several types of
cancer, PET scans are not regarded as routine, clinically effective
treatment. Patients with these cancers must be sent to only a small
number of research hospitals in order to qualify for the Medicare
rebate.

"This has meant that it has not been cost effective for Tasmania to have
PET scanners until now.

"But, because the report was tampered with, there are cancer patients in
Tasmania who will still have to go to the Peter MacCallum clinic in
Melbourne, even though the machine is now available in Tasmania.

"It is critical that MSAC is funded to accelerate the assessment of all
types of cancer for which PET scans are clinically effective so that
they can be rolled out as quickly as possible right across rural and
regional Australia, and improve the treatment of cancer patients
everywhere."

Tim Hollo 
Media and Communications Adviser 
Senator Christine Milne 
Australian Greens Deputy Leader
ph: (02) 6277 3588 
mob: 0437 587 562
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