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THE HON NICOLA ROXON MP

Former Minister for Health and Ageing

Patients Benefit from New Medicines Listed on the PBS and NIP

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Australians suffering from serious and life-threatening illnesses will benefit from seven new medicines being listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme from 1 April 2011. Two new vaccines will also be added to the National Immunisation Program

PDF printable version of Patients Benefit from New Medicines Listed on the PBS And NIP (PDF 23 KB)

25 February 2011

Australians suffering from serious and life-threatening illnesses will benefit from 7 new medicines and vaccines being listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) from 1 April 2011, including patients with a blood disorder that leads to extensive bleeding requiring hospitalisation.

The listing of a new innovative treatment, romiplostim (Nplate®), on the PBS will assist over 300 people with this blood disorder each year.

Two new vaccines will also be added to the National Immunisation Program (NIP). This means that they are will be fully funded by the Australian Government and provided free of charge to eligible children.

Prevenar 13® is a vaccine used to protect children against thirteen strains of pneumococcal disease. Prevenar 13® will be available as a three-dose course for children aged 2, 4 and 6 months of age.

Menitorix® is a combination vaccine used to protect children against two diseases: meningococcal C disease and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib). Menitorix® will be available as a single dose for children aged 12 months of age, and reduce by one the number of shots required.

Other additions to the PBS from 1 April 2011 include:

  • Adapalene with benzoyl peroxide (Epiduo Gel®), a significantly less toxic alternative medicine used for people with severe uncontrolled acne.
  • Vildagliptin with metformin (Galvumet®), an alternative treatment option for adults with type 2 diabetes.
Additions to the PBS from 1 May 2011, subject to final listing arrangements being met, include:
  • Omalizumab (Xolair®), an effective add-on treatment for patients with severe allergic asthma who require periodic hospitalisation as their condition is not adequately controlled by other PBS-listed medicines.
  • Levodopa with carbidopa (Duodopa®) intestinal gel, a specialised last­line therapy for patients with advanced Parkinson disease.
The listing of these medicines and vaccines will add around $127.3 million to PBS expenditure over four years. Overall, the Government has added almost 500 new medicines or brands of medicines to the PBS over the last four years, at a cost of around $4 billion.

Fifty-two new and amended listings, and new brands of existing listings, that have no financial implications, are also scheduled to be listed on 1 April.

The Government has listed these medicines within the strict timeframes set out in the Memorandum of Understanding signed with Medicines Australia.

The Government has also considered a number of other medicines, such as medicines for conditions where existing treatments are already available on the PBS, but has decided to defer listing of those medicines at the current time. These medicines will be reconsidered for listing when circumstances permit.

The deferred listings are for:
  • dutasteride with tamsulosin hydrocholide (Duodart®),
  • paliperadone palmitate (Invega Sustenna®),
  • oxycodone/naloxone (Targin®),
  • budesonide with eformoterol (Symbicort®),
  • botulinum toxin type A (Botox®) extension,
  • dalteparin sodium (Fragmin®), and
  • nafarelin (Synarel®).
The Government has also agreed to a price increase for the PBS medicines mirtazapine (Avanza SolTabon®) and sulthiame (Ospolot®), but has not agreed to price increases for erythromycin lactobionate (Erythrocin-IV®), acarbose (Glucobay®), Erythromycin ethyl succinate (E-Mycin 200®, E.E.S. 200®, E-Mycin 400® and E.E.S. Granules®), Glucose indicator - urine (Diastix®), Hexamine hippurate (Hiprex®), Neomycin sulfate (Neosulf®), Pancreatic extract (Creon 10,000®, Creon 25,000® and Creon 40,000®), and Sucralfate (Ulcyte® and Carafate®).

For more information, contact Ms Roxon’s Office: (02) 6277 7220

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