Temporary Victory for Seniors – Threat Remains

(Washington, DC) – Jim Martin, Chairman of the seniors advocacy group, the 60 Plus Association, released the following statement regarding the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) delay in deciding whether a lower panel recommendation to “de-label” late-stage cancer drug Avastin is based on “cost considerations.”  De-labeling the drug opens the door for private insurance plans and Medicare to deny coverage to breast cancer patients.

Statement of Jim Martin
Chairman, 60 Plus Association

As a matter of principle, the government must not ration care or deny treatment options based on what some government panels deems ‘cost-effectiveness.’ Yet there are some at the Food and Drug Administration who seem intent on doing just that.

We expected the government to begin the rationing of late stage cancer drugs last week. They did not. That does not, however, mean the threat is diminished.

We will be vigilant to ensure that the FDA does not deny any available option for patients of any drug based upon price consideration.

By using “cost considerations” as a factor in the drug approval process, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is threatening to rip life-extending drugs for late-stage breast cancer patients right out of their hands.

The FDA’s should reject any effort to create a two-tiered health care system – one for those who can afford to pay out of pocket for life-extending drugs like Avastin and one for everyone else.

The victims of rationing will be seniors, women and the weakest segments of our society.  They will be denied care as the government begins to, as the president has said, “bend the cost curve.”

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