IN THE NEWS

South Africa is facing a #CancerCareCrisis.  Cancer care is a basic human right, but Tina passed away in December because Baragwanath Hospital did not have the drip medicine that was making her better.  Read Tina’s story. As Ziphora experienced, machines aren’t working and she is not getting the #palliative care…

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People are dying because big pharmaceutical companies like Roche are doing everything possible to exploit any loopholes which enable the sale of life-saving medicine for obscene profits. This timeline of Trastuzumab—a breast cancer medicine developed through public and private funding many decades ago—tells the story of the long and ongoing…

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Sensible reforms to South Africa’s patent laws will not harm the economy or inhibit domestic innovation. To the contrary, in this paper we provide evidence that sensible reforms can both stimulate the economy and bolster innovation – all while improving the access that people living in South Africa have to…

Across the world, October is marked as breast cancer month. It is an opportunity to create awareness, educate people and provide support for breast cancer survivors and those close to them. In South Africa, more than 10 dedicated breast cancer organisations do their bit. No other single cancer in South…

Biosimilars are pharmaceutical products that are almost identical copies of existing medicines. Cancer Alliance publishes the first fact sheet on biosimilars in South Africa. The approval and availability of biosimilars will influence access and affordability of lifesaving medicines. Patients, clinicians and funders need to informed about these new opportunities to ensure that patients always have…

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Letter and Report to the Minister of Health, Dr Zweli Mkhize, from the South African Non-Communicable Diseases Alliance Please download and read the following two important documents: Letter to the new Minister of Health requesting urgent consultation and proposing important interventions in support of transition consistent with the SDGs and…

Download the following Fact Sheets: https://old.canceralliance.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Breast-Cancer-Symptoms-Fact-Sheet-V0.pdf https://old.canceralliance.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Breast-Cancer-Risk-Factors-Fact-Sheet-V0.pdf

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RETHA WESSELS, 57DIAGNOSED WITH MULTIPLE MYELOMA “I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in April 2012, and in November applied to my medical scheme for a stem cell transplant. They indicated that I first required chemotherapy treatment with a co-payment of about R40,000. After complying, stem cell treatment coverage was approved…

Sue Johnson and Lenalidomide Sue Johnson was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008 and with Multiple Myeloma in 2014. While she was initially able to access a generic lenalidomide treatment from India on a Section 21 authorisation from the Medicines Control Council at a price of about R5000 per month,…

Jayne Hewison, diagnosed with multiple myeloma I am an 8 year survivor of Multiple Myeloma, an as-yet incurable cancer of the blood. I’ve had 2 stem cell transplants and don’t have much alternative to treatment with lenalidomide. Towards the end of 2016, while being treated in Kwazulu Natal by a…

Grant Davies, diagnosed with multiple myeloma In April 2014, I was diagnosed with a rare blood cancer called Multiple Myeloma. I was 43 at the time, a husband, and father to a 5 year old. My treatment included radiation, chemotherapy, and two stem cell transplants. I had a good response,…

Veno Govender, diagnosed with multiple myeloma My name is Veno Govender. I’m from South Africa in the city of Cape Town. A plasmacytoma was found in my right humerus in December 2016. Since then I have had a humerus replacement, Chemo and a SCT Further to that upon all the…

Teboho Shai, diagnosed with multiple myeloma I was diagnosed with stage 3 B Multiple Myeloma at age 57 in April 2016 and consequently became paralysed. At the time I was living in Pretoria self employed as a consultant. I am married to Veliswa and I’m a proud father of 6…

17 July 2019: Cancer Alliance submits a motivation to SAHPRA for the prompt approval of trastuzumab biosimilars to promote competition in the market. The Cancer Alliance of South Africa submits this memorandum in support of its request that SAHPRA promptly register biosimilars of the breast cancer medicine trastuzumab for which…

Minister Mkhize must ensure access to cancer medicine that WHO now considers “essential” Johannesburg (9 July 2019) — It was announced today that lenalidomide, a lifesaving medicine to treat multiple myeloma, has been included on the latest edition of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Essential Medicines List (EML). Welcoming the…

Letter and Report to the Minister of Health, Dr Zweli Mkhize, from the South African Non-Communicable Diseases Alliance Please download and read the following two important documents: Letter to the new Minister of Health requesting urgent consultation and proposing important interventions in support of transition consistent with the SDGs and…

Breast Cancer Control Policy 2017 25th February 2019 The Cancer Alliance today publishes the fourth and final part of its series on the Breast Cancer Control Policy with Section 4: Treatment & Palliative Care South Africa’s new Breast Cancer Control Policy is a vital document aimed at prioritising breast cancer…

Cancer Alliance calls for access to affordable lenalidomide for public and private sector patients in South Africa EMBARGOED UNTIL FRIDAY FEBRUARY 15 Many cancer patients in South Africa do not have access to affordable cancer medicines – many of which are available in other countries at a fraction of the…

Breast Cancer Control Policy 2017 14th December 2018 The Cancer Alliance today publishes the third part of its series on the Breast Cancer Control Policy with Section 3: Access to Care. South Africa’s new Breast Cancer Control Policy is a vital document aimed at prioritising breast cancer awareness, prevention, treatment…