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Thousands to benefit from new PBS listings
Medicines to treat lung cancer, lymphoblastic and acute leukaemia, and chemotherapy-associated nausea will be available on the PBS from October.
New Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) listings will mean cheaper medicines for 500,000 Australians, in some cases saving more than $100,000 per patient, according to the Federal Government.
Medicines to treat lung cancer, lymphoblastic and acute leukaemia, and chemotherapy-associated nausea will be available to patients on the PBS for $40.30 per script, or $6.50 with a concession card, from 1 October.
New or extended PBS listings:
- Atezolizumab (sold as Tecentriq) and bevacizumab (sold as Avastin) – will be extended to include first-line treatment of patients with stage IV metastatic non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer. Without subsidy, this treatment would cost more than $11,400 per prescription, or more than $189,100 per course of treatment (approximately 16 prescriptions).
- Inotuzumab ozogamicin (sold as Besponsa) – will be extended to include patients with relapsed or refractory Philadelphia chromosome positive (B-CELL precursor acute lymphoblastic leukaemia). Without subsidy, this treatment would cost more than $44,500 per prescription, or more than $122,900 per course of treatment (approximately three prescriptions).
- Blinatumomab (sold as Blincyto) – will be extended to include patients with relapsed or refractory Philadelphia chromosome positive (B-CELL precursor acute lymphoblastic leukaemia). Without subsidy, this treatment would cost more than $74,900 per prescription, or more than $122,900 per course of treatment (around two prescriptions).
- Apotex – will be made available through the PBS for the treatment of patients with nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy. Without subsidy, this treatment would cost more than $80 per prescription (usually one prescription per course of treatment).
In addition, 15 common medicines – sold as 175 medicine brands – will be cheaper for general (non-concessional) patients, including:
- Pregabalin – patients will now pay $28.27 per prescription for 75 mg capsules (saving up to $5.11 per prescription)
- Ezetimibe – patients will now pay $33.86 per prescription for 10 mg tablets (saving up to $6.44 per prescription)
- Ezetimibe with simvastatin – patients will now pay $37.77 per prescription for 10 mg tablets (saving up to $2.53 per prescription).
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