Controversy Over
Expensive Breast Cancer
Drug
The purchase of an
expensive drug for the
treatment of breast
cancer has turned into a
controversy, as the Caja
Costarricense del Seguro
Social (CCSS) is making
the drug available only
to small number of
patients.
Doctors and patients are
asking that the CCSS
make the drug available
to all breast cancer
patients.
Each year 800 new cases
of breast cancer are
reported in Costa Rica,
one fifth the cases are
HER2 positive, a protein
which promotes the
growth of cancer cells.
HER2-positive breast
cancers tend to be more
aggressive than other
types of breast cancer
and are also less
responsive to hormone
treatment.
Trastuzumab (more
commonly known under the
trade name Herceptin) is
a humanized monoclonal
antibody that acts on
the HER2/neu (erbB2)
receptor. Trastuzumab's
principal use is as an
anti-cancer therapy in
breast cancer in
patients whose tumors
over express (produce
more than the usual
amount of) this
receptor. Trastuzumab is
administered either once
a week or once every
three weeks
intravenously for 30 to
90 minutes.
The problem is that the
CCSS only provides the
drug to some patients.
According to Miguel
Salas, of the
Planificación de la Caja,
there is no
discrimination.
However, Oncologist,
Joajo Baptista, although
understands the needs of
the CCSS given the high
cost of the drug,
believes that all
patients, even those in
the final stages, need
the drug.
Trastuzumab costs about
US$70.000 dollars for a
full course of
treatment.
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