Providing free online community support to people affected by breast cancer

Forums » Q & A

• Lynete

  

  • 3 posts
  April 2, 2013 12:25:58 PM WATime

  Report

  Hi, I am currently on Herceptin for metastatic breast cancer. I would like to know if anybody have any information on receiving Herceptin whilst travelling in Europe eg. France, Switzerland, Belgium, UK ext. Thanks Lynete

• Glenys

  

  • Moderator
  • 162 posts
  April 3, 2013 4:09:14 PM WATime

  Report

  Hi Lynete, welcome!
  
  Boy - a tricky question. I've not personally come across anyone who has travelled for extended time when taking Herceptin, so have researched this quite a bit to answer your query ...
  
  People who have tried to plan travelling to UK / Europe when having Herceptin have commented they found this extremely difficult to arrange.
  
  Several aspects to consider:
  - Herceptin is a very expensive & specialised treatment – there are strict guidelines for use and costs are covered in Australia under the 'Medicare Specialised Drug Program'. Each person on Herceptin is registered on the program. Reciprocal health care agreements do exist between Australia and UK (& some other countries), however there may be limits to some treatments being accessed on programs set up in each country, particularly for short-term / one-off cases. Enquiring directly to medicare may help, or view the website: http://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/services/medicare/reciprocal-health-care-agreements
  
  - Although other countries also have programs for the use of Herceptin, I’m pretty certain in every country a Medical Oncologist from that country would be required to prescribe Herceptin, and then ‘approval’ would be required to provide it. Administering Herceptin intravenously usually requires a hospital or similar setting. Arranging this sounds like it would be fraught with difficulty - and likely to be very expensive as I'm sure the 'public' systems in other countries would not be able to provide this at a time that would be convenient to your travel arrangements (even if possible at all) - therefore you probably would have to arrange private treatment.
  
  
  Your treating Oncology team may also be able to tell you if this were possible, i.e. if they have arranged this before & if they can assist with arrangements. A referral and details of treatment would certainly be the minimum requirement necessary.
  
  Discussing with your Oncologist the length of time you would like to be away, where you’re planning to go and what arrangements are possible certainly seems like a good place to start.
  
  We would love to know if this is possible and relatively easy to arrange. Please let us know how things go Lynete.
  All the very best. xx
  

  The Click Breast Care Nurse 

• Lynete

  

  • 3 posts
  April 3, 2013 6:46:42 PM WATime

  Report

  Hi Glenys,
  Thanks so much for your reply. I have discussed this my oncologist and she is in the process of contacting Roche who supply the herceptin here. We thought that they might be able to transport it to Europe. I am happy to pay for a oncologist and the cost of the oncology unit transfusing it. In the past when I travelled I did go for 4 weeks and the on return had some loading (higher dose of Herceptin). But I do not want to do this again as the best treatment plan is 3 weekly. The oncology nurse did say that one of their patients envestigated receiving Herceptin in the UK privately but found it to be too expensive. You are right I don't think it would be possible to receive Herceptin through the public system.
  I will let you know if I have any luck.
  Regards
  Lynette
  
  
• altomic

  

  • 1 posts
  May 5, 2013 1:55:03 PM WATime

  Report

  Hi Lynette,
  
  have you had response to your enquiries about having herceptin in Europe. I'm in the same boat. I'm heading over in in Oct 2014 for hopefully 7 weeks. So I need to start investigating as well. thanks heaps.
• Lynete

  

  • 3 posts
  May 6, 2013 6:55:47 PM WATime

  Report

  Hi Altomic, I haven't been able to find out if I can have herceptin in Europe. As this was a last minute trip I haven't had a lot of time to do research. Roche is the company that supply Herceprin here and in Europe. I rang the Brisbane branch and they said I could contact Roche in London to find out what the cost would be over there if I wanted to buy it privately. It is possible but would be expensive and you would need to see a oncoligist privately a few times to get it prescribed ordered ext. Herceptin have to be stored between 2 and 8 degrees other wise you could take your dose with you. If you can work out a way of shipping herceptin to Europe, that would be the best option also unless your oncologist have a good contact in Europe if you have family there with contacts to private oncoligists would be so much easier. I don't know if the Red Cross ship drugs that need to be kept between 2 and 8 degrees. Good luck. Lynette