Small victory in Herceptin case 

Eight breast cancer survivors have won the right to see "commercially sensitive" documents on the first day of their high court appeal against Pharmac.

They are challenging Pharmac's decision not to fund a full course of Herceptin treatment for New Zealand women diagnosed with her-2 positive breast cancer.
 
The government currently funds the treatment for nine weeks, with doctors advising women to continue privately funding the drug if they can afford it.

The cancer survivors want to know how the drug buying agency came to its decision when 24 other OECD countries fund it for a year, a course which they say offers the best chance of recovery.

"This has affected a lot of women in New Zealand, a lot of families. This case is not so much about us now, it is much, much more about the future of women in New Zealand with her-2 positive breast cancer," says cancer survivor Chris Walsh.

On Monday morning Justice Gendall granted the women's request for disclosure of documents.

The case is set down for a week.

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