Application to list Sculptra on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme

Posted online 23 February 2009

Lance Feeney updates Talkabout readers on where we're at advocating for your rights.

Scupltra is used for the treatment of facial lipoatrophy (facial wasting) in people with HIV. The pharmaceutical company applied for listing of the drug at the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) November meeting. A recommendation for listing by the PBAC would mean that the cost to the patient is subsidised by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). Currently one treatment of Sculptra in both cheeks may cost in the vicinity of $700.

The National Association of People Living with HIV/AIDS (NAPWA), Positive Life NSW and ACON have been working to get Sculptra listed by the PBS. You can read our submission to the PBAC, which is available on our website at: http://positivelife.org.au/content/submissions

Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC)

The Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) makes recommendations and gives advice to the Minister about which drugs should be made available.

The Committee considers both the effectiveness and cost of a proposed drug compared to alternative therapies. The Committee can either recommend a drug

be listed,
not recommend a dug be listed
or defer the matter for further consideration.

PBAC decision

Although the PBAC recognises a clinical need for the drug, it rejected Sculptra on the “first time” application because of uncertain cost effectiveness. In response, Sanofi-Aventis will work with the PBAC to try and find a way forward for the benefit of people with HIV.

Jo Watson, Executive Director of NAPWA (the National Association of People with HIV/AIDS), reports that the PBAC has invited Sanofi-Aventis to make a new submission to the committee in 2009. Sanofi-Aventis has agreed. However, a decision regarding the re-application for PBS listing of Sculptra by the company would be unlikely before the middle of 2009.

Positive Life will continue to advocate and work with NAPWA and ACON, the PBAC and manufacturers who produce effective and affordable treatment for facial lipoatrophy.

About this article

This is an article from our print publication Talkabout, originally published in the Feb-Mar 2009 edition. This web version of the article is an archived copy of that publication.
All views expressed are the opinions of the authors and not necessarily those of Positive Life NSW, its management or members. Copyright for all material in Talkabout resides with the contributor.
The content of this article was checked for accuracy at the time of publication. We endeavour to correct errors in articles on our web site as we become aware of them, but in some cases articles may contain errors.
We urge our readers to make every effort to ensure any information found on our website is up-to-date and relevant for their needs before relying on it to make medical decisions – your doctor can help with this, or you can call the Positive Life NSW office.

Disclaimer

Images of people included in Talkabout do not indicate HIV status either positive or negative.

Subscribe to Talkabout

Positive Life NSW members receive our magazine Talkabout every two months. Join here or find out about subscriptions for non-members.

This page last updated: 05/03/2009 - 16:20

Comments

Please stay on topic and be polite. All comments are reviewed by the website editor in line with our Comment Guidelines before being posted to the site.

Positive Life NSW