Non-small cell lung cancer
As of 1 August 2020, entrectinib and lorlatinib have been listed on the PBS for non-small cell lung cancer. Entrectinib is Authority Required (In Writing) for initial and grandfather treatment and Authority Required (Telephone/Electronic) for continuing treatment. Lorlatinib is Authority Required (Telephone/Electronic) for all treatment phases. The current osimertinib grandfather restriction has also been removed.

Relevant information regarding crizotinib, lorlatinib, entrectinib and osimertinib for non-small cell lung cancer on Services Australia website has also been updated.

Authority prescriptions for non-small cell lung cancer PBS medicines can now be requested using the Online PBS Authorities system. This includes Alectinib, Brigatinib, Ceritinib, lorlatinib as well as continuing treatment of Entrectinib, crizotinib and osimertinib.

The Online PBS Authorities system is an electronic system where a PBS Authority can be requested and the system will provide a result of Approved or Rejected straight away.

Please note: further information on Online PBS Authorities system will be provided shortly.

Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA)
From 1 August 2020, subcutaneous formulations of tocilizumab will be subsidised on the PBS for the treatment of Systemic Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (sJIA). This is as an alternative to the current intravenous formulation. Subcutaneous formulations are available as both a pen and a prefilled syringe, and is Authority Required (In Writing) for all treatment phases except for balance of supply where it is Authority Required (Telephone/Electronic).

Relevant information regarding sJIA on Services Australia website has also been updated.

Written authority requests no longer need to be submitted via the post. Written authority requests for the treatment of sJIA can be submitted through the Health Professional Online Services (HPOS) secure form upload facility.

The HPOS secure form upload facility is where prescription(s), PBS authority application form and other supporting information can be scanned and attached and submitted directly to Services Australia. The application will be assessed and the assessment result will be sent to the prescriber or their delegate through the HPOS mail centre.

To learn more about these updates, please contact Services Australia directly.

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