DIABETES, cancer and HIV patients will be strongly supported by new Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme listings of products effective 01 Apr.
Approximately 120,000 Australians may benefit from AstraZeneca's type 2 diabetes oral tablets Forxiga (dapagliflozin) and Xigduo XR (dapagliflozin/metformin) being extended to include a new triple oral therapy.
Sanofi's new form of insulin glargine (Toujeo), a longer lasting, higher strength insulin, which provides more options to better manage treatment through the day and night, reducing night time hypoglycaemia for more than 178,000 patients, will also be listed.
A number of other presently listed diabetes drugs are gaining extended listings.
Australian adults at high risk of acquiring HIV will have subsidised access to Gilead Sciences' Truvada (tenofovir disoproxil fumarate with emtricitabine) for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).
New listings also include a strong lineup of new cancer drugs which will save many sufferers many thousands of dollars, such as Tecentriq (atezolizumab) which will support around 2,000 patients who would otherwise have to pay $99,104 per course.
See the full list at the Health Department site - health.gov.au.
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 27 Mar 18
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