Alzheimer’s PBS revamp
April 24, 2013
BARRIERS for continued access
to a range of medications for
the treatment of Alzheimer’s
disease have been lowered by the
Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme,
with the implementation of
recommendations from last Dec’s
Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory
Committee meeting.
The PBAC considered the findings
of the Post-Market Review of
anti-dementia drugs, including that
the medicines are being used “in
a much broader population and
for longer periods of time than
originally agreed as cost-effective”.
To account for the use of the
medicines in a broader population,
the PBAC recommended a price cut
of 40% and also agreed to simplify
the continuing restriction “to better
align with current clinical use”.
Effective from 01 May the revised
restriction will be published in the
Pharmaceutical Benefit Schedule,
giving easier continued access to
memantine, donepezil, galantamine
and rivastigmine.
“Previously patients have had
to show a minimum level of
improvement in an Alzheimer’s
disease test each time they
needed a new prescription,” said
a statement from Health Minister
Tanya Plibersek.
After the changes are
implemented patients can continue
treatment for as long as their
doctor and carers consider it to
be effective, and doctors can use
a streamlined authority approval
system for the prescriptions.
“Alzheimer’s is a challenging
illness to treat, and the government
is committed to helping,” Plibersek
said.
The 40% price reduction has
already been negotiated by the
government and became effective
at the beginning of this month.
Plibersek said the post-market
review had also paved the way for
the new generation of medicines to
treat Alzheimer’s disease, which are
more likely to be added to existing
treatments than to replace them.
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