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Price of crucial medicines to fall

The listing on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme of 11 new medicines will cut their cost from thousands of dollars to $6.40 for concession card holders.

The cost of medicines to treat diabetes, cancer, arthritis, asthma and eye disease is set to fall on Sunday.

Eleven new medicines are being listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme as of April 1.

Some of the cancer drugs - which are used to treat lymphoma, lung cancer and non-melanoma skin cancer - will drop in cost from over $60,000 to $6.40 for concession card holders and $39.50 for others.

The chance of night-time hypoglycaemia will be reduced for 178,000 people living with diabetes through a new drug called Toujeo - a longer lasting form of insulin.

In Australia about 280 people develop diabetes each day.

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Without subsidised access, patients would pay around $1820 each year for the drug.

Trexject will be available to treat rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis, coming down in price from around $1093 a year.

"Our commitment to the PBS is rock solid. Together with Medicare, it is a foundation of our world-class health care system," Health Minister Greg Hunt said.

The full PBS list is available at the website www.pbs.gov.au


1 min read

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Source: AAP



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