New Zealand's top specialists are concerned that it may be unethical not to offer patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia the new drug Glivec given the results from recent clinical trials.
"Glivec should be available for use in patients in New Zealand who have failed the current standard treatment," says president of the New Zealand Haemetology Society, Dr Peter Browett.
"We are talking about giving these patients a second chance at life. We can say that because we are talking about the most successful drug yet developed to fight cancer."
Pharmac is due to release its decision on Glivec funding soon.
