New hepatitis C and diabetes medications available on the PBS

The Federal Government has made hepatitis C drug Maviret and diabetes medication Ryzodeg available on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) from 1 August.
 
Maviret is a once-daily treatment that is designed to keep the hepatitis C virus from multiplying and infecting new cells. According to the Government, it is part of a class of new treatments that provide a cure for more than 90% of people treated.
 
‘Without this listing, patients could pay over $50,000 per course of treatment for this medicine,’ Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said.
 
Ryzodeg is a diabetes pen that contains two types of insulin – basal and aspart – and is designed to help people with type 1 and 2 diabetes more easily regulate their blood-sugar levels.
 
Patients would pay close to $930 per year for Ryzodeg without the PBS listing.
 
‘These two new listing on the PBS will now mean that from August 1 patients will pay a maximum of $39.50 per script for these medications or just $6.40 per script for concessional patients, including pensioners,’ Minister Hunt said.
 
The Federal Government also announced that it will provide $1 million to Hepatitis Australia to ‘continue education and awareness activities to improve hepatitis C testing and treatment uptake’.

diabetes hapatitis C Maviret Ryzodeg