A World-First Approach to Cancer Reimbursement
In March 2026, Australia achieved a global first in cancer care funding. The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) began reimbursing the combination immunotherapy nivolumab-ipilimumab—known commercially as Opdivo and Yervoy—for every cancer type, provided a clinician determines the patient is likely to respond.
This tumour-agnostic listing removes the traditional requirement for separate applications for each cancer type. Health Minister Mark Butler described the announcement as “one of the most exciting announcements I’ve had the privilege of making,” noting it would benefit more than 5,000 Australians annually who would otherwise face treatment costs of around $100,000.
From Specific Indications to Universal Access
Previously, Opdivo and Yervoy had been listed on the PBS for specific cancer types. The challenge was that many rarer cancers—where the combination was thought to be highly effective—could not be the subject of separate applications due to limited patient numbers. The new listing bypasses that barrier entirely.
“By doing that, it essentially improves the body’s ability to fight the cancer, extends lives, gets rid of tumours, and a whole range of other terrific things,” Minister Butler said of immunotherapy’s mechanism.
A Parallel Expansion for Pembrolizumab
The expansion of immunotherapy access extends beyond the Opdivo-Yervoy combination. From September 1, 2026, pembrolizumab (Keytruda) also received a landmark multi-cancer listing, expanding its PBS subsidy from 17 cancer indications to include advanced ovarian cancer and other immunotherapy-sensitive cancers.
This decision followed an international study involving Epworth HealthCare patients, which was the first to show that immunotherapy can improve survival for women with recurrent ovarian cancer. The study was published in The Lancet in April 2026. Epworth was one of 187 trial sites across 25 countries and the top recruiter in Australia.
Associate Professor Sumitra Ananda, who led the Epworth trial, described the multi-cancer listing as “an important moment for cancer treatment in Australia,” noting it “may expand immunotherapy access for thousands of Australians and gives doctors the discretion to make appropriate evidence-based treatment decisions”.
