Media Thread, page-12693

I think it depends on the oncologist. I was diagnosed with cancer back in 2016 and the oncologist at that hospital went ballistic when he heard that I had opted for a generic drug, so I changed hospitals and ocologist and he was cool with my choice. The main reason I chose the generic version was pressure from the pharmacy, back then for 30 tablets (30 days supply) the cost was just under $1000 whereas the generic was about half that. For me personally I only paid $38 as it was on the PBS (lucky to be in Australia!!). My chemo was a targetted therapy so generally there are far fewer side effects unlike cytotoxic chemotherapy which most people associate with 'chemo'.

My experience was: no idea that I had cancer for probably about 3 years then bam - ER admitance, diagnosis, operation followed by 3 years of adjuvant therapy. After two years of no drug the cancer returned and spread so they put me back on the therapy. This time I didn't go the generic route and found the experience to have much reduced side effects. The price of non-generic has now dropped to about $600!

You would not know I had cancer if you met me, that's how effective targetted therapies are but like most drugs eventually it will stop working. I'm invested in a few bio-med stocks but when I asked my oncologist about CAR-T he thought it was a very risky option! I mention this because he is on the coalface so to speak and I think it's good to know how these doctors think. Still I hold and hope for the best!!