Asbestos victims plea to Abbott

Date: 31 October 2007

Asbestos-disease sufferers and their families will present Federal Health Minister Tony Abbott with a plea to increase their life expectancies through a new drug subsidy at his Manly office today.

Over 17,000 people from across Australia have joined the campaign calling for the treatment for the fatal Mesothelioma disease more widely available by reducing the cost of the drug, Alimta, through the Federal Government's Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).

The PBS is due to consider listing the drug at a board meeting on Wednesday.

Under the Government scheme, Mesothelioma sufferers and their families could save up to $20,000 for a full six cycle course.

Mr Abbott has previously refused to make the treatment more affordable through the Government scheme on the grounds that it was not 'cost-effective' but supporters of the drug subsidy say it would improve the lives of tens of thousands of Australians.

"Tony Abbot has the power to ease the suffering tens of thousands of Australian mesothelioma patients - and to say that the price tag on those lives is too high simply is not good enough," Asbestos Disease Foundation of Australia director, Barry Robson said.

"More affordable treatment for this disease would reduce fatigue, loss of appetite, pain and cough and radically improve the quality of life for suffers and their families," Mr Robson said.

Dave Oliver, National Secretary Australian Manufacturing Union said, "incidences of Mesothelioma were on the increase, with more than 18,000 Australians expected to be diagnosed with the disease by 2020."

"With tens of thousands of Australians, many of them in the construction industry, expected to be struck by the fatal asbestos-disease in the future it is the real sleeper issue in public health," said Martin Kingham, CFMEU Assistant National Secretary.

The CFMEU and the AMWU have supported the Asbestos Disease Foundation of Australia petition by urging members to sign postcards of Mesothelioma sufferer Tony Medina and his family addressed to Mr Abbott.

For further information

Contact:	Martin Kingham - Assistant National Secretary
Union:	cfmeu
Phone:	(03) 9341 3443
WWW:	http://www.cfmeu.asn.au/

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