newsGP – PBS to provide access to life-saving MS and cancer medicines – RACGP

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New medicines for multiple sclerosis and various cancers will be available on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme from 1 November.

Under recommendation by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) will introduce and expand a number of listings from 1 November.The listings will provide greater access to potentially life-saving medicine treatments for people with multiple sclerosis (MS), as well as various forms of cancer.MS medicineMS is the most commonly acquired neurological disease in younger adults, with most people diagnosed between the ages of 2040. More than 25,600 Australians currently live with MS, and 75% of those are female.Although there are a number oftreatmentoptions available, there is currently no known cure for MS.Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt says there is a high clinical need for effective treatments for patients with progressive forms of relapse onset MS.Siponimod (sold as Mayzent) will be listed on the PBS for the first time to treat patients with secondary progressive MS.With average out-of-pocket costs of more than $25,000 per year, the PBS estimates around 800 patients will benefit from this listing each year.With PBS subsidy, patients will pay $41 per prescription of siponimod, or $6.60 with a concession card.Lymphoma, carcinoma and reproductive cancer medicinesMethoxsalen (sold as Uvadex) will be listed on the PBS for the first time for treatment of patients with erythrodermic cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) who have not responded to other treatments.CTCL is a rare type of non-Hodgkins lymphoma that affects the skin and causes an accumulation of malignant T-cells in the skin. It most common in adults aged 4060 years.Around 75 Australians per year will receive PBS-subsidised access to the new medication and specialised treatment for CTCL, which would otherwise cost them more than $3400 a year.Uvadex will be introduced alongside two new items on the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) from 1 November for the use of extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) in combination with the medicine to treat the condition, as recommended by the Medical Services Advisory Committee.These include:

cancer medicines multiple sclerosis PBS

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newsGP - PBS to provide access to life-saving MS and cancer medicines - RACGP