PBAC Jul recommendations
August 22, 2011
THE Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee has published the outcome of its Jul meeting, with a number of recommendations for new PBS listings. AstraZeneca’s new Brilinta
(ticagrelor) for Acute Coronary
Syndrome (PD 21 Jun) has been
recommended as an Authority
Required listing, on the basis of
“acceptable cost-effectiveness
compared with clopidogrel in
combination with aspirin”.
Osteoporosis is also a focus of the
rulings, with a recommendation to
remove the current three year
treatment limit for Novartis’ Aclasta
(zoledronic acid solution).
Merck Sharp & Dohme’s Fosamax
Once Weekly, Fosamax Plus and
Fosamax Plus D-Cal products have
also been recommended for an
extension of the current listing to
include treatment of osteoporosis
in patients aged 70 years or older.
Other recommendations include
an Authority Required listing for
Bristol-Myers Squibb’s Orencia
(abatacept) rheumatoid arthritis
treatment, as well as the firm’s
Eliquis (apixaban) anti-thrombotic
for patients undergoing total knee
or hip replacements.
Lundbeck Australia’s Saphris
(asenapine) sublingual wafer is also
recommended for a listing for
treatment of bipolar 1 disorder and
schizophrenia.
The PBAC is recommending an
extension of the current S100
listing for Ipsen Pty Ltd’s Dysport
(botox) for the treatment of
blepharospasm and hemifacial
spasm in adults, along with a new
300 units per vial presentation.
Aspen Pharma has received a
recommendation for an additional
pack size of 30 Actiq (fentanyl)
lozenges, while Novartis’ COPD
treatment Onbrez (indacaterol) has
been recommended on a cost
minimisation basis, compared with
fluticasone in combination with
salmeterol.
Blackmores’ MagMin magnesium
tablets have been recommended as
a restricted benefit for patients
with chronic renal failure to treat
hypomagnesaemia in Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander persons.
A GlaxoSmithKline submission to
extend the National Immunisation
Program to include active Boostrix
vaccination of parents of newborn
infants was rejected on the basis of
uncertain clinical effectiveness.
Other first time rejections
included BMS’ cancer treatment
Yervoy (ipilimumab); Lundbeck’s
Azilect (rasagiline); an extension of
the current S100 listing for Pfizer’s
Genototropin (somatropin) to
include treatment of adults; and an
extension to the listing of Pfizer’s
Sutent (sunitinib) cancer treatment.
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