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PDF printable version of April PBS (PDF 16 KB)

1 April 2010

Docetaxel (Taxotere®), which is already available through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) for the treatment of certain forms of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, and various cancers of the mouth and throat areas, is being extended to include treatment given subsequent to surgery of patients with early breast cancer.

The Australian Government has made Taxotere plus cyclophosphamide (TC) available through the PBS to give patients an alternative treatment in the fight against this disease.

This change to the PBS will benefit patients with early breast cancer by giving them access to treatment subsequent to surgery that may be less harmful to their heart and that aims to achieve total disease control.

The current listed option for patients with early breast cancer, which is operable and restricted to the breast, is doxorubicin plus cyclophosphamide. However, there are issues for the heart if used for long periods of time.
The new treatment, which is effective for some patients, could reduce the associated problems.
The listing will add about $33 million to the PBS over the next 5 years.

Patients undergoing total hip replacements and total knee replacements will benefit from a new listed drug that helps prevent blood clots.
Dabigatran etexilate (Pradaxa®) is the second PBS-listed oral anti-thrombotic agent.
It provides patients with an alternate prophylactic medicine that does not require an injection.
The cost to the PBS is about $2 million over five years.

Maraviroc (Celsentri®) will be listed in the Section 100 Highly Specialised Drugs Program for the treatment of HIV.
It is used in combination with other HIV medications in patients who have previously used HIV medications and meet certain criteria.
The cost to the PBS is about $21 million over five years.

Nevirapine (Viramune®) is a liquid medicine for the treatment of HIV.
The Paediatric Medicines Advisory Group requested the listing, particularly for children.
The cost to the PBS will be about $210,000 over five years.

The HIV drug Darunavir (Prezista®) will be co-administered with ritonavir.
It will be used with other antiretroviral agents for patients who have failed previous treatment with, or have resistance to, one antiretroviral treatment regimen.
This means that darunavir can be used earlier in treatment. There will be no extra cost to the PBS.

For all media inquiries, please contact the Minister's Office on 02 6277 7220