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Lonely Dec PBS listing a disappointing end to 2017
Posted 30 November 2017
Janssen's cancer drug Imbruvica - announced to great fanfare in October as listing on the PBS from tomorrow - has been revealed as the only new drug to make it onto the PBS in December, ending a dismal year for reimbursement of new drugs.
The addition of Imbruvica (ibrutinib) onto the PBS from 1 December brings the total new drug listings for 2017 to 23.
While the PBAC scheduled additional meetings throughout the year to deal with the overflow of drug submissions seeking new or expanded PBS access, the government progressively slowed the pace of new additions as the year progressed.
While 14 new drugs were added to the PBS in the first half of the year with three in January, February and April followed by five in May, it was all downhill from there.
Two drugs were listed in June, July and September and only one in August, October and December. There were no new drug listings in either March or November.
December will see extensions to several PBS-listed drugs with Eisai's Halaven (eribulin) having the rare cancer liposarcoma added to its reimbursed indications, although it is following chemotherapy and where surgery is not an option. Halaven was listed for third-line treatment of advanced breast cancer in 2014.
AstraZeneca's Zoladex Implant (goserelin), PBS listed in breast and prostate cancer as well as endometriosis, will have reimbursement extended to cancer and autoimmune patients with a high risk of premature ovarian failure.
It was not an easy road either for Janssen to get Imbruvica onto the PBS - the company's only successful new listing for the year. It took Janssen five failed attempts at obtaining a positive PBAC recommendation before finally being successful in an out-of-session meeting in March.
Imbruvica will be listed in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) and relapsed or refractory small lymphocytic leukaemia (SLL).
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Megan Brodie
megan.brodie@lushmedia.com.au
Posted 30 November 2017
Janssen's cancer drug Imbruvica - announced to great fanfare in October as listing on the PBS from tomorrow - has been revealed as the only new drug to make it onto the PBS in December, ending a dismal year for reimbursement of new drugs.
The addition of Imbruvica (ibrutinib) onto the PBS from 1 December brings the total new drug listings for 2017 to 23.
While the PBAC scheduled additional meetings throughout the year to deal with the overflow of drug submissions seeking new or expanded PBS access, the government progressively slowed the pace of new additions as the year progressed.
While 14 new drugs were added to the PBS in the first half of the year with three in January, February and April followed by five in May, it was all downhill from there.
Two drugs were listed in June, July and September and only one in August, October and December. There were no new drug listings in either March or November.
December will see extensions to several PBS-listed drugs with Eisai's Halaven (eribulin) having the rare cancer liposarcoma added to its reimbursed indications, although it is following chemotherapy and where surgery is not an option. Halaven was listed for third-line treatment of advanced breast cancer in 2014.
AstraZeneca's Zoladex Implant (goserelin), PBS listed in breast and prostate cancer as well as endometriosis, will have reimbursement extended to cancer and autoimmune patients with a high risk of premature ovarian failure.
It was not an easy road either for Janssen to get Imbruvica onto the PBS - the company's only successful new listing for the year. It took Janssen five failed attempts at obtaining a positive PBAC recommendation before finally being successful in an out-of-session meeting in March.
Imbruvica will be listed in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) and relapsed or refractory small lymphocytic leukaemia (SLL).
Megan Brodie
megan.brodie@lushmedia.com.au
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