New extended listings for diabetes, breast cancer and hepatitis B drugs on PBS

Posted October 9th 2006

by DPS

The Commonwealth Government has extended the listing of several drugs on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) from 1 October for the treatment of breast cancer, diabetes and hepatitis B.

Also, for the first time, high-risk patients will have access to cholesterol-lowering drugs, regardless of their cholesterol levels.

These changes will benefit more than 366,000 patients at a cost of up to $860 million over four years.

As widely discussed, Herceptin (trastuzumab) will be available to treat patients with HER2 positive early stage breast cancer, following surgery. Breast cancer affects 14,000 Australians each year. Of these, around 2,000 people have HER2 positive breast cancer. The listing of Herceptin should significantly improve health outcomes for patients and will cost $470 million between 2006-07 and 2009-10.

The listing of the cancer drugs docctaxel (‘l’axotere and paclitaxel (Taxol, Anzatax, Paclitaxel Ebewe) will also be extended for the treatment of early breast cancer at a cost to the Government of $35.7 million over four years. About 3,000 patients over four years will benefit from this change.

Cardiovascular disease is greatest health problem affecting about 3.5 million people each year. The new eligibility criteria for cholesterol-lowering drugs will benefit all additional 250,000 patients at a cost of around $150 million over the next four years.

Diabetes has a substantial impact on the health of Australians. Lantus (insulin glargine) and Levemir (insulin detemir) will be available on the PBS, benefiting all expected 110,000 people in the first year of listing. This will cost up to $150 million over four years.

Hepatitis B sufferers will benefit from the anti-viral drug peginterferon alfa-2a (Pegasys). The drug is already on the PBS for the treatment of hepititis C and has been extended on the PBS for the treatment of hepititis B. This will cost the Government $55.2 million over four years, and benefit around 1,000 patients each year.