The Access Criteria for the oral antiviral COVID-19 treatments, nirmatrelvir with ritonavir (Paxlovid) and molnupiravir (Lagevrio) has been announced. These Access Criteria have been developed with the advice of clinical expert advisors. Supply of the oral treatments will be arriving throughout 2022 and the criteria have been designed to help support prescribers to target available...Continue Reading

This link here: Te Aho o Te Kahu – Cancer during COVID-19 contains information for patients and whānau with cancer. Cancer treatment continues at all phases of the Ministry of Health’s Omicron Response Plan.Continue Reading

Last Thursday 24 February the ICBCC Policy Strategy Working Group met to discuss on the Policy Strategy to address the specific impact of the pandemic on immunocompromised blood cancer patients (both acute and chronic) in a workshop-style setting. The meeting was facilitated by our partner Patvocates. During the 2 hour workshop the group managed to define...Continue Reading

Watch this excellent presentation by Dr Rob Weinkove of the Malaghan Institute, courtesy of Leukaemia & Blood Cancer NZ, on ‘COVID-19 and haematology patients – protecting yourself in 2022’.Continue Reading

By Selina Wellbelove – 15 Nov 2021 Vaccinated patients with blood cancers experiencing breakthrough COVID-19 infections remain at high risk for severe or critical disease and death, new research shows. Furthermore, it was found that patients with lymphomas were more at risk than those with other haematological malignancies. The study, led by Dr Livio Pagano,...Continue Reading

Nichola Oakenfull is partially vaccinated against Covid-19, but she’s still scared. The Wellington woman was diagnosed with multiple myeloma (a type of blood cancer) during alert level 3 last year – a diagnosis that may reduce the efficacy of the Pfizer vaccine. “It is very scary because I’m doing as much as I can to try and keep myself safe, but you are relying...Continue Reading

This article originally published on The Limbic Most parents of children undergoing active cancer treatment at the RCH Children’s Cancer Centre, Melbourne last year reported no change to their child’s care due to COVID-19. An online survey of more than 100 parents in October-November 2020 found 69% reported no change to their child’s treatment plan...Continue Reading

People with blood cancers who are immunocompromised are now advised to have a third primary dose of COVID-19 vaccine with an mRNA vaccine. On 8 October the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) recommended a booster third dose of vaccine as part of the primary course in individuals who are severely immunocompromised to address the risk...Continue Reading

This article was originally posted on Stuff Around 21,000 Kiwis are living with blood cancer. Symptoms can be difficult to recognise, and experts worry that some people aren’t getting diagnosed as our health system tackles the impact of Covid-19. Hayley McLarin investigates. Neil Brownlie has beaten blood cancer three times in a decade. The former...Continue Reading

This article was originally published on The Limbic Patients with blood cancer – including leukaemia, myeloma, and lymphoma – experience higher psychological distress from risk of COVID-19 infection and unmet needs, finds new research Over a year into the pandemic, we have all felt the effects at this point. But the disruptions and stress haven’t...Continue Reading