Pharmacy Daily | Pharmacy chemo changes

PHARMACISTS should prepare for the revised arrangements for the Efficient Funding of Chemotherapy Drugs which will commence from 01 December. The changes will not affect prescribing and dispensing arrangements for oral chemotherapy medicines, but are designed to achieve greater efficiency in the use of injectable and infusible chemotherapy medicines used in the treatment of cancer. The changes will: require prescribers to write dose specific prescriptions using milligrams (in most situations) without specific reference to forms and strengths; pay approved suppliers/pharmacists for the most cost-efficient combination of vials that makes up the required patient dose; and result in changes to the way that chemotherapy drugs are listed in the Schedule. Patients will pay only one PBS co-payment ($5.60 concessional or $34.20 general) for each original prescription dispensed and for repeat prescriptions (i.e. a patient will pay either $5.60 or $34.20 for the first injection/infusion on the script but not for each repeat). Prior to 01 December, patients would have paid a PBS co-payment every time a prescription – original or repeat – was dispensed. Meanwhile, from Dec suppliers and pharmacies will also have to identify the Streamlined Authority code on the prescription (if relevant). This is the case for all PBS Authority Required (STREAMLINED) drugs, and not just chemo drugs.

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