New therapies on the PBS
February 20, 2013
TWO new treatments for chronic
hepatitis C have been added to the
Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
(PBS) as part of a raft of new and
extended subsidies announced this
week.
As such, the Government will
provide more than $220 million
over five years to subsidise Victrelis
(boceprevir) and Incivo (telaprevir),
for people at least 18 years old with
a certain type of chronic hepatitis C
(genotype 1).
At present hepatitis C is one of
the most commonly reported
notifiable diseases in Australia.
According to Department of
Health estimates, in 2011 more
than 300,000 Australians had been
exposed to the hepatitis C virus and
at least 220,000 were living with
chronic hepatitis C.
Currently there is no vaccine to
prevent hepatitis C, with the only
way to manage the disease being
medication.
“Our decision to list boceprevir
and telaprevir reflects the
Government’s continuing
commitment to consumers and
industry to consider and decide on
high-cost listings within the
timeframes agreed with Medicines
Australia,” said the Minister for
Health Tanya Plibersek.
“Patients would have to pay up to
$78,000 per year for these
medicines without subsidised
access through the PBS,” she
added.
The Government has also
announced that it will list Femme-
Tab ED (evonorgestrel with 20 mg
ethinyloestradiol) for use as an oral
contraceptive; Neupro (rotigotine)
for the treatment of Parkinson
disease as additional therapy for
patients being treated with other
medicine for this condition; and
Juvicor (sitagliptin with simvastatin)
– for the treatment of type 2
diabetes and high cholesterol.
Extended listings will also be
granted to Protos (strontium
ranelate) - for the treatment of
osteoporosis (the listing will be
extended to include male patients
at least 70 years of age with a
certain bone mineral density).
MEANWHILE the changes will
also see price increases for eight
medicines, including: Zovirax
(aciclovir) - for the treatment of
herpes simplex virus infections of
the eye; BenPen (benzylpenicillin)
for the treatment of serious
bacterial infections; and Aquae
(carmellose) and Aquae Gel
(hypromellose) - for the treatment
of dry mouth in the palliative care
setting.
Price increases will also affect EMycin
(erythromycin) - for the
treatment of respiratory tract
infections; Alphapress (hydralazine)
- for the treatment of high blood
pressure; Colifoam
(hydrocortisone) - for the
treatment of inflammatory bowel
disease; Macrodantin
(nitrofurantoin) - for the treatment
of urinary tract infections; and
Ulcyte (sucralfate) - for the
treatment of stomach ulcers.
All PBS listings and price changes
are subject to final arrangements
being met by the suppliers of the
medicines, see pbs.gov.au for details.
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