Life saving drugs cheaper

ALMOST 180,000 Australians with diabetes will be able to buy longer-lasting insulin worth $1800 a year for less than $40 a script from next week.

The drug, which reduces low blood sugar issues at night, is one of 11 new treatments to be listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme from April 1.

The Federal Government has also slashed the cost of a special lung cancer drug, helping about 2000 patients who would have otherwise been required to pay up to $100,000 for a round of treatment.

The PBS listings cut the costs of the medicines to a maximum of $39.50 per script, or just $6.40 for patients with concession cards.

Health Minister Greg Hunt said the Coalition had subsidised more than $8.2 billion worth of new medicines since coming to government.

“Our commitment to the PBS is rock solid. Together with Medicare, it is a foundation of our world-class healthcare system,” Mr Hunt said.

About 440 patients with Tcell lymphoma and more than 900 with basal cell carcinoma, a type of skin cancer, will now have access to new and discounted treatments.

Other drugs, some worth more than $1000 a year, will be made available to diabetes sufferers. The new listings include methotrexate, used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis, which will help about 2300 people and would otherwise cost $1093 a year.

Almost 1200 patients with non-infectious uveitis, an inflammatory eye disease, will be able to get a discounted treatment that had cost $2700 per course.