Cancer drug plan to launch

July 27, 2011

Patients can apply for financial assistance to use self-financed cancer drugs under the first-phase programme of the Community Care Fund Medical Assistance Programmes, from August 1.
 
Launching the project today, Hospital Authority Chairman Anthony Wu, the fund’s medical sub-committee chairman, said it will benefit 1,000 patients in the first year.
 
The first phase will subsidise Hospital Authority patients in using six self-financed cancer drugs that have not yet been brought into the Samaritan Fund safety net for seven cancer diseases – lung cancer, leukaemia, colorectal cancer, renal cell carcinoma, gastrointestinal tumour, breast cancer and ovarian cancer.
 
“Drugs subsidised by the first-phase programme are those that have been rapidly accumulating medical scientific evidence and with relatively high efficacy. Although other related drugs and treatment are provided at the Hospital Authority’s standard fees and charges, many patients may still choose to use these drugs at their own expense. The fund will provide subsidy to eligible patients to facilitate their early access to these drugs,” Mr Wu said.
 
To launch the first phase as early as possible, applications will be processed using the Samaritan Fund's financial-assessment mechanism.
 
Patients can consult their doctors or medical social workers on the application procedure.
 
The second phase will launch in the first quarter of next year and will subsidise Hospital Authority patients who marginally fall outside the Samaritan Fund safety net for use of its subsidised drugs.