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New PBS listing for eczema medication
One GP says aZematop’s listing fills a ‘crucial missing gap’ in treatment options available to patients.
From 1 October, GPs will have a new medication available on the PBS to help treat patients with eczema.
More than 143,000 Australians annually are expected to benefit from the new listing of an eczema medication on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).
From 1 October, tacrolimus 0.1% ointment (sold as aZematop) will be listed on the PBS for eligible patients aged 16 years and over with eczema.
Dr Anneliese Willems, RACGP Specific Interests Dermatology member, told newsGP she is ‘incredibly excited’ by medication’s listing.
‘I’ve been waiting for this,’ she said.
‘I’ve been using tacrolimus ointment as a compounded, and often very expensive, treatment for patients over the years, in particular circumstances, and I think that this is an incredibly valuable addition to the GP armamentarium.’
Without PBS subsidy, patients can pay more than $54 for a single script of tacrolimus.
Dr Willems said the tacrolimus ointment will not replace topical corticosteroids, but instead ‘fill a gap’ that is often encountered when trying to treat eczema on sensitive parts of the bodies such as the face or eyelids.
‘We’ve had pimecrolimus available for facial eczema for quite a while, but the challenge with using that is it’s very gentle; it’s less effective than topical tacrolimus,’ she said.
For GPs who may be new to prescribing tacrolimus, Dr Willems says it is ‘quite common’ for patients to experience a slight burning or stinging sensation when using it for the first time.
‘I’m putting it out there now because that’s something I think not all GPs might be aware of,’ she said.
Dr Willem said topical corticosteroids will remain first-line management for eczema – despite ‘very often’ hearing concerns from some patients fuelled by social media misinformation.
‘A lot of patients have been reading up on something called topical corticosteroid withdrawal, and there’s an anxiety that topical corticosteroids can actually worsen eczema, and that they are harmful to the body if used,’ she said.
‘I find that these consultations often involve a lot of patient information and potentially correction of various myths about treatments for eczema.
‘While patients can suffer from side effects if topical corticosteroids are used inappropriately, for the vast majority of patients, topical corticosteroids are the first-line therapy for managing eczema and very safe to use.’
Dr Willem said the PBS availability of tacrolimus will be ‘a really useful adjunct’ for discussions with anxious patients.
‘There is something else that can be offered after discussion, and I think that it will really help with enhancing the trust in the relationship between GPs and their patients to be able to talk about this as being another option available,’ she said.
In good news for the more than 5700 Australians living with severe asthma or hives, another medication to be PBS-listed from 1 October is pre-filled pen forms of omalizumab (sold as Omlyclo).
Without PBS subsidy, the medication can cost more than $450.
Dr Willems said the medication will be used ‘a lot’ by people who have recurring hives.
‘It will be a really valuable addition to the PBS for patients with chronic spontaneous urticaria,’ she said.
‘Historically there’s been quite limited therapeutic options for these patients apart from antihistamines.’
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atopic dermatitis aZematop corticosteroid dermatology eczema PBS Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme Tacrolimus
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