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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.
Every medicine was recommended to the PBS by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee.
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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