Several women’s health medicines will be on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) after new PBAC recommendations.
The listings are in addition to the government’s $573 million women’s health funding announcement last month.
Australian Pharmacist takes a look at these new additions and the impact cheaper medicines will have on women across the nation.
Funding for first ever progesterone-only contraceptive pill
From 1 May, Slinda (drospirenone) – a first-of-its-kind progesterone-only oral contraceptive pill OCP – will be available under the PBS.
Around 80,000 women are paying privately for Slinda, which costs around $80 for 3 months’ supply.
Under the PBS, the medicine will only set women back $31.60 ($7.70 for concession card holders) for 4 months’ supply.
The move will widen birth control options for Australian women, particularly those who can have difficulty with oestrogen-based OCPs
Dr Terri Foran, Sexual Health Physician said Slinda is particularly suitable for women who:
- are older
- at increased risk of blood clots
- suffer migraine attacks
- breast feed
- are overweight
- have high blood pressure.
Slinda’s contraceptive effect is essentially achieved by inhibiting ovulation, along with thickening cervical mucus and thinning the uterus lining. A key benefit is Slinda’s 24-hour missed pill window, so if a woman is less than 24 hours late taking the medicine, it will still be effective.
‘With any oral contraceptive, it is important not to miss a dose. The Pill needs to be taken consistently,’ Dr Foran said. ‘But sometimes life gets in the way and it’s nice to know that if a woman forgets to take Slinda, she has up to 24 hours to take the missed pill and stay protected.’
Cheaper access to a groundbreaking endometriosis medicine
Around one in seven Australian women live with endometriosis. On 1 May, they’ll have subsidised access to Ryeqo (estradiol and norethisterone) – the first medicine of its kind approved specifically to treat moderate to severe endometriosis pain in patients who haven’t responded to other therapies.
Initially approved for treating uterine fibroids, Ryeqo comprises lower doses of estradiol and norethisterone compared to combined OCPs – alongside an active ingredient, relugolix, which inhibits the pituitary gland from releasing luteinizing and follicle-stimulating hormones, said Nicolette Ellis MPS, President of Chronic Pain Australia.
‘These components collectively regulate oestrogen and progesterone levels in the body, addressing factors contributing to endometriosis pathology,’ she said.
Around 8,500 Australian women annually should benefit from this listing, which currently costs up to or more than $2,700 per year.
Funded medicines to make IVF more accessible
IVF is notoriously expensive. But Australian women undergoing the process will soon have earlier and more affordable access to fertility treatment.
Starting 1 April, women identified with specific low reproductive hormone levels will have earlier subsidised access to the combination therapy Pergoveris (follitropin alfa with lutropin alfa) – which is currently only subsidised in later IVF treatment cycles.
Many of the over 6,000 women using Pergoveris annually through the PBS require up to four pens per IVF cycle. So the Albanese Government has also doubled the maximum number of Pergoveris pens available per prescription from two to four.
These women will now only need to pay a single patient co-payment for up to four pens per IVF cycle, significantly reducing costs. Without PBS funding, purchasing four Pergoveris pens would typically exceed $3,500.
Women will soon only need to pay just one patient co-payment for up to four pens as needed for their IVF cycle – which costs more than $3,500 without the subsidy.
The Government is focused on delivering Australian women more choice, lower costs and better health care options,’ said Federal Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler.
These PBS inclusions should help long-dismissed Australian women feel heard, said Ged Kearney, Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care and Assistant Minister for Indigenous Health.
‘I hope when they hear that the Albanese Government is improving access to and affordability to more endometriosis, contraceptive and IVF medications, they feel listened to and believed,’ she said.
