Many HIV patients are now issued with three-month supplies of treatment, cutting down the burden on clinics and patients. Now, according to a Health-e report, breast cancer advocates want the same for women battling the cancer. According to cancer lobby group the Breast Health Foundation, many breast cancer survivors are often prescribed the drug Tamoxifen for up to five years after completing chemotherapy. Breast Health Foundation COO Louise Turner says the group now wants government to consider issuing patients with three-month supplies of the treatment.
Currently, stable antiretroviral (ARV) patients are issued with three-month ARV supplies, which cut costs and time associated with collecting what would otherwise be monthly supplies of the drugs. Turner said cancer patients deserve the same sort of consideration.
"Most of breast cancer survivors go onto (Tamoxifen) as an international standard of care," Turner said. "Currently, the challenge is that you only get a script for a month in public hospitals." "The patient has to take a day’s leave every month to get their script," she added. "If a patient has already used his or her 30 (leave) days per three-years cycle, it becomes unpaid leave. Most patients use more than those 30 days once they are diagnosed with breast cancer." Turner added that each clinic visit to collect treatment also accompanied by transport costs
Dr Sarah Rayne, who works at the Breast Health Clinic in Johannesburg's Helen Joseph Hospital, says that taking leave from work and poverty are huge obstacles for many patients. "Women are facing challenges such as unemployed, and those that are working do not have time to visit a clinic – all these factors delay (treatment)," said Rayne, adding that with barriers like these lead some women to turn to traditional healers following a breast cancer diagnosis. This too leads to deadly delays in treatment.
[link url="http://www.health-e.org.za/2015/02/12/breast-cancer-advocates-demand-three-month-supplies-treatment/"]Full Health-e report[/link]