EmailHospital Circular 21/2009
Date Issued: 1 August 2009
Distribution: Public Hospitals
Subject: Highly Specialised Drugs Program
To advise hospitals of changes to the Highly Specialised Drugs Program, effective 1 August 2009.
We have received recent advice from the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing regarding changes to the Highly Specialised Drugs Program, effective 1 August 2009.
ADDED STRENGTH
APOMORPHINE HYDROCHLORIDE
| 9640J | Injection 50mg in 5mL | 5 | $194.65 | APO-go | HH |
Parkinson’s disease in patients severely disabled by motor fluctuations which do not respond to other therapy
ADDED FORM
ETANERCEPT
| 9641K | Injection 50mg in 1 mL single use injection pens x4 |
1 | $1,630.01 | Enbrel | WX |
Full prescribing criteria for all items available at the Commonwealth/State Highly Specialised Drugs Program Guidelines website.
ALTERED PACK SIZES and PRICES
MYCOPHENOLATE MOFETIL |
FROM | TO | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6208R | Capsules 250mg (CellCept) | 300 $555.70 | 100 $185.23 |
| 6209T | Tablet 500mg (CellCept) | 150 $555.70 | 50 $185.23 |
ALTERED RESTRICTIONS
BOSENTAN MONOHYDRATE, EPOPROSTENOL SODIUM, ILOPROST TROMETAMOL, SILDENAFIL CITRATE and SITAXENTAN SODIUM
Restrictions altered to recognise the new indications for Epoprostenol sodium and Iloprost trometamol as well as new PAH agent swapping rules.
ADVANCE NOTICE DELETED ITEM (1 October 2009)
RIBAVIRIN and PEGINTERFERON ALFA-2a
| 6393L | Pack containing 84 tablets ribavirin 200mg and 4 pre-filled syringes peginterferon alfa-2a injection 180 micrograms | Pegasys RBV | RO |
Item discontinued by manufacturer.
| PRICE DECREASES | FROM | TO | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
AZITHROMYCIN |
||||
| 6221K | Tablet 600mg | 8 | $67.82 | $59.34 |
CLOZAPINE |
||||
| 6101D | Tablet 25mg | 100 | $70.56 | $69.15 |
| 6102E | Tablet 100mg | 100 | $264.60 | $259.31 |
| 6417R | Tablet 50mg | 100 | $141.12 | $138.30 |
| 6418T | Tablet 200mg | 100 | $529.20 | $518.62 |
CYCLOSPORIN |
||||
| 6352H | Capsule 25mg | 30 | $40.80 | $39.98 |
| 6353J | Capsule 50mg | 30 | $84.87 | $83.17 |
| 6354K | Capsule 100mg | 30 | $172.92 | $169.46 |
DESFERRIOXAMINE MESYLATE |
||||
| 6113R | Powder for injection 500mg | 10 | $97.02 | $95.08 |
| 6270B | Powder for injection 2g | 1 | $38.81 | $38.03 |
DISODIUM PAMIDRONATE |
||||
| 6223M | I.V. Injection set 90mg & 10mL | 1 | $334.53 | $327.84 |
| 6279L | I.V. Injection set 2 x 30mg & 2 x 10mL | 1 | $223.02 | $218.56 |
| 6286W | Conc. Injection 15mg/5mL | 1 | $55.75 | $54.64 |
| 6287X | Conc. Injection 30mg/10mL | 1 | $111.51 | $109.28 |
| 6288Y | Conc. Injection 60mg/10mL | 1 | $223.02 | $218.56 |
| 6289B | Conc. Injection 90mg/10mL | 1 | $334.53 | $327.84 |
| 6290C | I.V. Injection set 4 x 15mg & 4 x 5mL | 1 | $223.02 | $218.56 |
OCTREOTIDE ACETATE |
||||
| 6227R | Injection 50mcg/1mL | 5 | $35.81 | $35.09 |
| 6228T | Injection 100mcg/1mL | 5 | $71.60 | $70.17 |
| 6229W | Injection 500mcg/1mL | 5 | $358.41 | $351.24 |
| 6426F | Injection MR 10mg vial & diluent | 1 | $1,362.20 | $1,334.96 |
| 6427G | Injection MR 20mg vial & diluent | 1 | $1,813.00 | $1,776.74 |
| 6428H | Injection MR 30mg vial & diluent | 1 | $2,268.70 | $2,223.33 |
Changes notified by hospital circular will be updated in the Guidelines on the Commonwealth/State Highly Specialised Drugs Program Guidelines website and the claim form amended.
Geoff Lavender
Director, Programs
Metropolitan Health & Aged Care Services
