A Brisbane man with rare brain cancer is on a trial drug that stops tumor growth, but faces $45,000 monthly costs if Australia denies coverage.

Brisbane landscaper Josh High, 28, diagnosed with rare brain cancer in 2024, is participating in a clinical trial for Voranigo (vorasidenib), a drug that has halted tumor growth without chemotherapy or radiation. Currently paying just $7.50 monthly through the trial, he faces potential monthly costs of $45,000 if the drug is not approved for Australia’s PBS, which recently rejected it due to cost concerns. Advocates call it a breakthrough after decades of stagnant survival rates, urging access while acknowledging pharmaceutical development costs. High remains anxious about losing the treatment when the trial ends in two years.