What price for a life?

Pietermaritzburg resident Veroney Judd Stevens did not want to die of breast cancer like her mother, so she fought her medical aid for a year's course of the life-saving drug Herceptin.

The drug costs roughly R500000 for a year's course and reduces the chances of cancers from returning by 40%.

She received the drug in September after medical aid Bonitas gave it to her as a "once-off donation" following her protests against the scheme's refusal to pay for it.

But it was too late. In October she learned that the cancer had spread to her brain.

Bonitas said it was too expensive to give a year's course of Herceptin to all members who developed Her2-positive breast cancer.

According to Stevens' legal papers, providing Herceptin would add only a few rands to each member's medical aid premium.

Last week the Treatment Action Campaign protested outside pharmaceutical company Roche's Johannesburg headquarters over Herceptin's price.

It is far cheaper in India.

The TAC said Roche holds patents on Herceptin in South Africa that expire in 2033, nearly 10 years after the patents in the US expire.

South Africa's patents office does not examine patent applications to see if they are valid but grants them automatically.

This has allowed Roche to extend its patent in South Africa even though it has been prevented from doing so in the UK, India, Korea and the US.

The TAC said that these countries would get generic and cheaper forms of Herceptin years before South African cancer patients.

Most medical aid schemes in South Africa offer the drug for nine weeks based on a study that suggested it would work if used for a short time.

But new research shows that this not the case.

"It's a waste of money to have it for only nine weeks," said oncologist Devan Moodley.

The drug has been included on WHO's list of medicines that all countries should make available to citizens.

Roche said it was in discussions with the Health Department to improve access to the drug.

"We recognise the concerns of people who do not have access to health coverage or private health insurance.

"Roche is committed to working with private payers and our government to develop pricing models that can ease access."