Yubin of the group Wonder Girls has asked for support in a petition for her family suffering from cancer metastasis.
On the 1st, Yubin posted on SNS, “I am writing this because something unfortunate has happened to my precious and beloved family. My older sister was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2020 and has been struggling with treatment ever since. Unfortunately, by 2024, it has metastasized to her brain, and she is enduring a painful fight every day,” she said.
She continued, “Fortunately, we have found an effective treatment, but due to realistic circumstances, it is very difficult to receive proper treatment,” adding, “With a desperate desire to protect my sister even a little, I ask for your help.”
Yubin also stated, “This issue is not just a problem for our family, but it is also an important issue connected to whether breast cancer patients in the future can receive better treatment,” and added, “I would be grateful if you could lend your strength so that many patients can continue to have hope.”
The national petition that Yubin is requesting support for is titled ‘Petition for the health insurance coverage and expedited processing of the breast cancer brain metastasis treatment Tukisa (tucatinib).’
The petitioner stated, “Despite the approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, the essential treatment ‘Tukisa (ingredient name tucatinib)’ has proven excellent effectiveness for HER2-positive brain metastasis breast cancer patients, but patients have to import the drug personally, and due to the unaffordable out-of-pocket costs, many patients cannot use this treatment or are at risk of stopping treatment even if they are already undergoing it.” They also appealed, “We earnestly petition for the health insurance coverage of ‘Tukisa’ so that a tragedy does not occur where patients and their families are forced to give up due to economic reasons.”
According to the petitioner, Tukisa received approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in December 2023, but domestic sales have been indefinitely delayed, forcing patients in urgent need of treatment to rely on personal imports. The cost of the drug amounts to 30 million won for two months, and it must be used in combination with other chemotherapy drugs, but existing drugs that were previously covered by insurance have been switched to out-of-pocket expenses, resulting in a massive treatment cost burden of 200 million won per year.
[Kim So-yeon, Star Today Reporter]
