THE Government yesterday announced the addition of several eye medications to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.
The $80 million investment will see new subsidised treatment options from 01 Nov 2018 for a range of eye conditions, with additions including Ozurdex (dexamethasone) by Allergan for retinal vein occlusion.
This ocularly-injected product is expected to benefit around 3,300 patients per year.
The current PBS listing for Lucentis (ranibizumab) injection will be expanded for patients suffering from types of choroidal neovascularisation not currently covered on the PBS.
The conditions relate to forms of macular degeneration, which is responsible for about 50% of all cases of legal blindness in Australia.
The Government reiterated that its "commitment to the PBS is rock-solid," approving the subsidy of all drugs recommended by the independent Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee.
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