“Team player” who battled for herceptin access

(By Janine Rankin, Manawatu Standard Janine.rankin@msl.co.nz)

Palmerston North medical oncologist Richard Isaacs helped make the breast cancer drug herceptin affordable for 53 women during the battle to get the Government to pay for the internationally recommended 12 months treatment.

He’s been appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his contribution to research, breast cancer care and ensuring cancer patients have access to world-class treatment.

Usually a team player, he said he was rather surprised to find himself as the one who spoke out for change, who was heard, and who was eventually honoured for it.

“Anything I have achieved has been as a member of a team”

In 2007 he was appointed chairman of the Breast Cancer Special Interest Group, a sub group of the New Zealand Association of Cancer Specialists.

“In this case I was put in a position of leadership”.  In pursuing the ethical principles of achieving best quality care, we challenged the accepted process at the time.”

Dr Isaacs said the real heroines in securing full funding for herceptin for patients with HER2 positive breast cancer were the eight women and their supporters who battled through the courts Pharmac’s decision to pay for only nine weeks’ treatment.

From his private practice at Aorangi Hospital he treated seven of them, including Palmerston North woman, Lois Blair, who had to raise up to $100,000 each to pay for it.  He became their expert witness.

While herceptin is now available for 12 months, Dr Isaacs said there was plenty to do to ensure New Zealand cancer patients had timely access to the best chemotherapy drugs in the world.

“It’s a very cumbersome process to get approval, and it’s unacceptable how long it can take.”

“It’s not just about getting the newest and most expensive drugs. It’s about gaining timely access to the best treatments not only for cancer sufferers but also for those with other diseases.”

Dr Isaacs has been involved in more than 20 medical oncology clinical trials, is Vice President of the Palmerston North Research Foundation, and has worked extensively with Massey University’s Institute of Molecular Biosciences, particularly with breast cancer and melanoma researcher Kathryn Stowell