The committee also recommended several MHT drugs including progesterone be listed on the PBS.
The PBAC has recommended an unrestricted PBS listing for the drospirenone contraceptive pill, saying it offers benefits in some clinical situations over other PBS-listed oral contraceptives.
In an outcomes statement from its November meeting, the committee recommended that drospirenone 4mg (Slinda) be listed at a price point similar to other newer oral contraceptive pills.
The PBAC noted comments from health professionals and patients that drospirenone had advantages compared to other hormonal contraceptives currently on the PBS, such as having a longer pill-free window and providing an option for patients who could not use contraceptives containing oestrogen.
“The PBAC considered that the claim that drospirenone has superior efficacy compared to the progestogen-only pill containing levonorgestrel is plausible, although the magnitude of superior efficacy is uncertain.”
The PBAC also considered several MHT drugs, recommending general schedule unrestricted benefit listings of oestradiol (Estrogel), progesterone (Prometrium) and oestradiol and progesterone (Estrogel Pro).
The committee considered comments from women who accessed the medications privately, who said the products effectively managed menopausal symptoms and provided benefits compared to other PBS-listed MHT products.
The PBAC said cost was a barrier for many women and there was a public health need to have a range of clinically appropriate MHT options listed on the PBS.
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“There was sufficient evidence that Estrogel, Prometrium and Estrogel Pro are at least as effective as comparator products for the primary outcomes, and may offer small differences compared to MHT options currently PBS-listed,” the PBAC said.
For HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer patients, the cancer drug olaparib (Lynparza) will be available through the PBS if they have a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation.
As part of the listing, the cost of germline BRCA testing will be reimbursed for all metastatic and early breast cancer patients who need testing to access PBS treatment.
Research by Breast Cancer Trials has found that olaparib reduces breast cancer recurrence by 42% in patients with early-stage breast cancer who have a BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation.
“Hundreds of Australians may benefit from the PBS listing of olaparib, which offers a new, affordable treatment option for patients with an inherited form of metastatic breast cancer,” said Breast Cancer Trials Scientific Advisory Committee chair Dr Nicholas Zdenkowski.
The PBAC knocked back Eli Lilly’s submission for Mounjaro (tirzepatide) to be listed on the PBS for patients with poorly controlled type two diabetes who have severe obesity or identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.
“The PBAC considered that tirzepatide 10mg once weekly and tirzepatide 15mg once weekly were superior in terms of effectiveness for glycaemic benefits and short term weight loss compared to semaglutide 1mg once weekly in the target subgroup with severe obesity, but advised this claim was not supported for tirzepatide 5mg once weekly compared to semaglutide 1mg once weekly,” the statement said.
The PBAC said the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was “high, inadequately justified, and uncertain” and asked for a revised economic model including a price reduction for the listing to be considered cost-effective.
A spokeswoman for Eli Lilly Australia said they intend to present the federal government with a funding submission this year “to facilitate affordable access to Mounjaro (tirzepatide) for Australians living with obesity”.
