EmailHospital Circular 27/2004
Date Issued: 8 September 2004
Distribution: Public Hospitals, Private Hospitals
Subject: Recombinant Factor VIII and recombinant Factor IX
Purpose: To advise hospitals of the removal of restrictions on access to recombinant Factor VIII (rFVIII) and recombinant Factor IX (rFIX), effective immediately.
Under current National Blood Authority arrangements only patients in priority access categories can receive subsidised recombinant Factor VIII (rFVIII) and recombinant Factor IX (rFIX).
The Australian Government has recently announced that it will provide funds, which, with State funding already set aside, will enable subsidised rFVIII and rFIX to be made available for the treatment of all patients deemed clinically appropriate. Although the new Commonwealth funding does not apply until 1 October 2004, it seems sensible that patients undergoing review in the period between now and then should be eligible to receive recombinant product.
Therefore, patients currently being treated with the plasma derived Factor VIII product Biostate ® and the plasma derived Factor IX product Monofix-VF ® can be transferred to the recombinant products, when clinically appropriate, as of the date of this circular. It is important that transfers occur in an orderly manner. It is also important that supplies of Biostate, especially home-held supplies, are consumed and not wasted. Therefore, patients should not be transferred until the time of their next programmed review; and/or supply period. Patient reviews should not be advanced just to move to recombinant product at a time earlier than would otherwise be the case.
Recombinate rAHF ® is the subsidised rFVIII product and the supplier is Baxter.
BeneFIX ® is the subsidised rFIX product and the supplier is Wyeth.
Hospitals currently without access to, but requiring supplies of rFVIII or rFIX under the subsidised arrangements should contact the Department of Human Services. These products are not available through the Australian Red Cross Blood Service (ARCBS).
Departmental Contacts:
Tania Nallathamby (03) 9616 1316
Michael Furey (03) 9616 2506
Dr Chris Brook
Executive Director
Rural and Regional Health & Aged Care Services
