Vital drug added to PBS
Life-saving medication now $42
AUSTRALIANS at heightened risk of heart disease are now able to access a life-saving drug for just $42.
Portarlington woman Brenda Credlin has lived with high cholesterol for more than 20 years and had a triple bypass in 1996. The now 77-year-old has taken cholesterol-lowering medication daily since the surgery, but has suffered differing side effects.
Recently Mrs Credlin started taking repatha, a drug she found beneficial, but which was difficult to access and cost patients like her thousands of dollars each year.
As of Thursday, that medication is available as part of the pharmaceutical benefits scheme and costs $42 a script.
Mrs Credlin welcomed the addition of the drug to the PBS and said repatha would now be an accessible long-term treatment option for her.
“I’ve been on multiple medications during that time and have had to switch to different ones because of the side effects … the last one gave me severe leg pain,” Mrs Credlin said.
“It’s frustrating because you think it’s working and then one day it isn’t.”
The grandmother said the drug would allow her to spend more time with her grandkids.
General practitioner Dr Charlotte Hespe the drug would now be more accessible to those who need it.
“Previously you had to be referred to a cardiologist for a review and they needed to tick boxes to show that each person was in the required category to be eligible for a prescription,” Dr Hespe said.
“There were lots of barriers, which sometimes made patients wary and scared – or not proceed due to the costs of the consultation and difficulty in access.
“Now that GPs can initiate treatment with repatha, it’s going to be seen as more mainstream and definitely more accessible.”