THE Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) has recommended the PBS listing of nicotine gum and lozenges, as monotherapies as a "restricted benefit for treating nicotine dependence in cigarette smokers who wish to quit and enter into a behavioural support program".
Previously nicotine patches were PBS listed, and the committee has now accepted a submission regarding non-inferiority in terms of comparative efficacy and safety for gum and lozenges vs patches.
The PBAC also made a number of recommendations regarding new biosimilars for etanercept, follitropin alfa and rituximab.
With rituximab, the PBAC recommended the addition of a note encouraging prescribing of the biosimilar brands to treat naive patients for all indications.
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