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The Health | february, 2019
Current News
Briefs
New treatment for lung
cancer in Malaysia
Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD) Malaysia
launched an expanded label for
KEYTRUDA®, MSD’s anti-PD-1 therapy,
in combination with pemetrexed
(ALIMTA®) and platinum chemotherapy
for first-line treatment of patients with
metastatic non-squamous non-small
cell lung cancer (NSCLC), with no
epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)
or anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)
genomic tumor aberrations, based on
results of the KEYNOTE-189 trial. This
expanded label for first-line indication
immunotherapy was approved by the
Ministry of Health Malaysia and Drug
Control Authority in October 2018.
In Malaysia, lung cancer is the most
worrying cancer where 90% of lung
cancer cases were detected at late
stages (stage 3 and 4) and it has the
LOWEST survival rate compared to other
cancer types with 5-year relative survivals
of 11.0% and a median survival time of
6.8 months3.
Dr Tho Lye Mun, Consultant Clinical
Oncologist said, “I welcome the news,
as KEYTRUDA® in combination with
pemetrexed and platinum chemotherapy
significantly reduced risk of death
by half, prolonged overall survival
and progression-free survival in the
KEYNOTE-189 trial, compared with
chemotherapy alone. This will bring great
hope to patients and caregivers”.
“Over the past few years, we’ve seen
significant clinical advances especially
in lung cancer field, which has brought
about an incredible shift in the way we
approach the treatment of patients
diagnosed with metastatic non-small
cell lung cancer”, said Dr Matin Mellor
Abdullah, Immediate Past President of
the Malaysia Oncological Society, and
one of the panel speakers.
Mr. Ashish Pal, Managing Director,
MSD Singapore & Malaysia said, “The
approval of the expanded label for
KEYTRUDA® based on data from the
KEYNOTE-189 trial is an important
milestone, and reinforces our steadfast
commitment to improving survival
outcomes, and providing hope, for more
patients with lung cancer”.
Nutrition booklet
launched for cancer
patients
Nestlé Health Science and Prince
Court Medical Centre recently launched
a nutritional booklet for patients
recovering from cancer.
Mahenthiran Thanapal, CEO of Prince
Court Medical Centre , Judy Ng, Dietitian
for Prince Court Medical Centre, Chef
Asiah Daud, Chef De Partie for Prince
Court Medical Centre, and Andy Yap,
Marketing Manager of Nestlé Health
Science jointly launched the specifically
commissioned booklet. Titled Bring Back
the Joy of Eating, the book aims to help
patients to get back on their feet through
good food.
The booklet is an indispensable guide
containing practical tips and delicious
recipes specially curated by Chef Asiah
Daud and Judy Ng. The recipes are
prepared using Nestlé health Science’s
complete and balanced range of
nutritional supplements that provides
support for medical conditions where he
role of nutrition is vital. — The Health
Eliminating cervical
cancer through
empowerment
University Malaya
and VCS Foundation
initiates screening
programme to help
women become more
forward for screening
S
oon, more women in
Malaysia will be more willing
to come forward for cervical
cancer screening, a life-saving
decision which will enable the
detection and treatment of
the disease in its earlier stage.
Cervical cancer is one of the most
preventable cancer compared to other
types of cancer. Yet, it is still listed as
the third most prevalent in Malaysia
in terms of cases reported and deaths
caused by it.
This is because the lack of awareness
among women, as well as the ‘shame’
among them to go for early screening.
The Ministry of Health records shows
that women above 64 years old have
higher risk for cervical cancer, and
should therefore be more aware and go
for early screening.
The Deputy Prime Minister of
Malaysia, Dato Seri Dr Wan Azizah Dr
Wan Ismail had recently launched a
programme to empower and enhance
the need for cervical cancer screening
among women, dubbed R.O.S.E (Remov-
ing Obstacles to Cervical Screening).
Dato Seri
Dr Wan
Azizah Dr
Wan Ismail
launched a
programme
to empower
and enhance
the need
for cervical
cancer
screening
among
women.
The programme is an initiative
taken by University Malaya and VCS
Foundation (VCFS) Australia which
aims to encourage more women to go for
cervical cancer screening. According to
Professor Dr Woo Yin Ling, Consultant
Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Uni-
versiti Malaya (UM), R.O.S.E integrates
self-sampling, HPV testing, and e-health
technology to enhance every woman’s
personal journey of maintaining good
cervical health.
Dr Woo starts, “the HPV (Human
Papillomavirus) test is evidence-based
and highly accurate, providing greater
reassurance to women and their fami-
lies. The improved diagnostic accuracy
allows for significantly less frequent
testing over a women’s lifetime.”
“Moreover, it utilises mobile
technology and VCFS’s canSCREEN®,
a population health management
platform that enables healthcare pro-
fessionals to track the progress of every
woman screened through their lifetime,
be it in a government or a private clinic.”
R.O.S.E was officially launched
during an MoU signing between UM
and VSCF. The ceremony was graced,
besides Dr Wan Azizah, by Datuk Seri
Dzulkefly Ahmad, Minister of Health as
well as YB Hannah Yeoh, Deputy Minis-
ter of Women, Family, and Community
Development.
The MoU was signed by Professor
Dato Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman, Dean
of Medical Faculty, UM, and Professor
Marion Saville, Executive Direcotr of
VSCF. Both organisations will establish
a non-profit joint venture to combine
their expertise and enable the imple-
mentation of R.O.S.E as a cervical
screening programme in Malaysia. —
The Health
Targeted therapy
welfare fund introduced
R
oche Malaysia and Beacon
Hospital launched the Targeted
Therapy Welfare Fund recently as
a way to help reduce the financial burden
of breast cancer patients.
This corporate responsibility initia-
tive provides eligible HER2-positive
breast cancer patients with targeted
medicines at a lower cost.
In the private sector, it can cost
approximately RM8,000 to RM10,000
or more per treatment. Patients may
require up to 18 injections for a com-
plete treatment. This will undeniably
help reduce the financial burden of many
patients who need this life saving medi-
cine. Depriving the high risk patients of
the treatment will result in early relapse
or even premature death.
Datuk Seri Dr Haji Dzulkefly bin
Ahmad, the Minister of Health, com-
mended the two organisations for
launching the welfare fund. “The govern-
ment understands the plight of breast
cancer women in lower income bracket
and knows there is more that can be
done. Whilst we have allocated budget to
support this group, the private sectors
can also do more to bridge the access gap
for these women. I hope the partnership
between Roche Malaysia and Beacon
Hospital will serve as an exemplary
corporate responsibility initiative for
other pharmaceutical companies and
healthcare organisations.”
Dato Dr Ibrahim Wahid, Consultant
Clinical Oncologist at Beacon Hospital
said with breast cancer being the most
common form of cancer affecting
Malaysian women, treating the disease
continues to remain a key challenge for
healthcare sectors. He said, “Another
issue that we always face when look-
ing after patients is their financial
challenges. Whilst breast cancer is a
treatable condition, patients are not able
to access the treatment they need due to
affordability.”
“Our collaboration with Roche Malay-
sia enables us to extend our corporate
responsibility efforts to underprivileged
breast cancer patients and to further
close the patient access gap, especially
to innovative treatments,” said Dato Dr
Ibrahim.
Lance Duan, General Manager of
Roche Malaysia said cancer has a huge
impact on patients’ financial wellbeing.
“The ACTION (ASEAN Costs in Oncol-
ogy) Study showed that more than 75%
From left: Lance Duan, Datuk Seri
Dr Dzulkiefly Ahmad, and Dato Dr
Ibrahim Wahid officiated the launch
of the Targeted Therapy Welfare
Fund.
of cancer patients in Southeast Asia
experience death or financial catastro-
phe 1 year after diagnosis,” he said.
To help these groups of patients,
Roche has initiated ‘Roche Cares’ – a
co-payment model involving Roche,
patients and funders (for example
healthcare and non-governmental
organisations, charitable corporations,
and others) to reduce financial hurdle
of patients in accessing innovative
treatments.
The Targeted Therapy Welfare Fund
for Breast Cancer is a Corporate Respon-
sibility (CR) programme initiated by
Roche Malaysia and Beacon Hospital.
Under this programme, deserving early
breast cancer patients in the adjuvant
setting are given access to the targeted
therapy (up to 18 cycles) at a subsidized
rate. — The Health