Medicines to treat eye disease, diabetes, cancer, arthritis and asthma will be added to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) from 1 April. The Federal Government has approved subsidies for all the drugs that were recommended by the independent Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee.
The 11 new and expanded listings mean Australian patients will save hundreds, and in many cases thousands of dollars, paying a maximum of AU$39.50 per script with concessional patients, including pensioners, paying just $6.40.
Dexamethasone (Ozurdex) will now be available to treat non-infectious uveitis (inflammatory disease of the eye). Without subsidised access, an average of 1,165 patients would pay around $2,753 per course of treatment.
New and improved treatments for diabetes included in the listings will address one of the biggest challenges facing Australia’s health system, with around 280 people developing the condition every day.
Dexamethasone (Ozurdex) will now be available to treat non-infectious uveitis… Without subsidised access, an average of 1,165 patients would pay around $2,753 per course of treatment
Dapagliflozin (Forziga), Dapagliflozin with metformin (Xigduo XR), and Dapagliflozin with saxagliptin (Qtern) supports triple oral therapy for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, normally costing patients around $1,033 annually.
Empagliflozin and Linagliptin (Glyxambi) provides another treatment option for use in triple oral therapy for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Without a PBS listing patients would pay around $1,026 every year.
A number of current medicines for diabetes will also be expanded to help more people, including Empagliflozin (Jardiance), empagliflozin with metformin (Jardiamet), and linagliptin with metformin (Trajentamet). Vildagliptin (Galvus) and vildagliptin with metformin (Galvumet), which will also be available for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus.
PBS listings are published on the Schedule of Pharmaceutical Benefits, available on the PBS website.
