Ron Walker calls for sale of Medibank to save cancer patients Ron Walker (right) has made a passionate plea to fast-track the approval of lifesaving cancer treatments so they could be affordable. RON Walker has made a plea for the Federal Government to sell Medibank Private to fund cancer drugs while offering an emotional thank-you to the scientists who saved his life. On the anniversary of receiving the experimental drug, Mr Walker on Friday met with the bosses of pharmaceutical giant Merck to tell them of the second chance they had given him, as well as the need to save others. Explaining it was a miracle he was still alive to be able to address them, the Grand Prix boss said he was passionate about lobbying the Federal Government to fast-track the approval of lifesaving treatments so they could be affordable and give everybody an equal chance at life. In other countries many cancer drugs are available within six months of approval, but it takes an average of more than two and a half years for a drug to be listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, dooming patients who can't afford up to $10,500 a month for treatment that would otherwise cost $36. "One opportunity is to establish a Cancer Drug Fund, similar to that initiated by Prime Minister David Cameron in the UK, and the sale of Medibank Private and reform of pricing of generic medicines could provide a sustainable source of funding for this initiative," Mr Walker said. I tell everybody I am the luckiest man in the world. I am lucky that you have invented this miracle drug that is saving my life. And I am lucky that I was accepted on to the trial when I was, as I have heard heartbreaking stories of patients who have died while waiting to get on the trial. Mr Walker's first scans after four cycles of the drug PD-1 were described as "a miracle" by his doctors. Prime Minister Tony Abbott has indicated Medibank would return to the private sector "at the right time." A scoping study to determine the value of the health insurer - said to be worth about $4 billion - is under way. Mr Walker also met with Health Minister Peter Dutton in November as part of a campaign for PBS reform and a Cancer Drug Fund to cover the cost of medications worth tens of thousands of dollars, which can take up to six years to be listed for a taxpayer subsidy.