Patients to benefit from new PBS listings

The listing of nine prescription medicines on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme announced by the Federal Minister for Health Tanya Plibersek will provide patients with affordable access to cost-effective treatments, Medicines Australia chief executive Brendan Shaw said today.

Dr Shaw said the new listings would provide additional options for patients suffering from conditions including juvenile arthritis, chronic myeloid leukaemia and myocardial infarction.

“The PBS listings will be welcomed by patients and I am encouraged by the Government’s commitment to making these medicines available,” Dr Shaw said.

“It is critical for patients that the Government maintain a consistent approach to the listing of medicines recommended by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee.

“This task has been made easier by the Memorandum of Understanding between Medicines Australia and the Commonwealth that will deliver taxpayers $1.9 billion in PBS savings.

“If this is a return to business as usual by the Government it is very welcome. However, the Government does not yet have a clean slate with listing new medicines on the PBS.

“Having gone through the TGA process, the PBAC process, the PBPA process and the Cabinet process, the anti-stroke medicine Pradaxa is now being made to go through another unanticipated hurdle: the anti-coagulant review process.

“I urge the Government to conduct this review as quickly as possible given Pradaxa was first considered by Cabinet in September 2011.”

The nine new PBS listings are:

  • Ticagrelor (Brilinta®), for acute coronary syndrome, manufactured by Astra Zeneca;
  • Cefuroxime axetil (Zinnat®), antibiotic, GlaxoSmithKline;
  • Dasatinib ((Sprycel®), chronic myeloid leukaemia, Bristol-Myers Squibb;
  • Nilotinib (Tasigna®), chronic myeloid leukaemia, Novartis;
  • Dalteparin sodium (Fragmin®), anti-coagulant, Pfizer;
  • Epoprostenol sodium (Flolan®), pulmonary arterial hypertension, GlaxoSmithKline;
  • Morphine sulphate (Kapanol®), pain management, GlaxoSmithKline;
  • Tocilizumab (Actemra®), juvenile arthritis, Roche Products;
  • Abatacept (Orencia®), rheumatoid arthritis, Bristol-Myers Squibb.

-ENDS-

Contact Person:

Jamie Nicholson
Media Communications Manager
Phone: 0419 220 293
Email:
 Jamie.Nicholson@medicinesaustralia.com.au