The PBAC recommends a change for all listings and brands of Rituximab to be added to the Unrestricted Benefits listings.

While the various brands of Rituximab, including MabThera, Truxium^® and Riximyo, have been available for the treatment of Immune Thrombocytopenia for many years, many patients have been required to pay an ‘out of pocket’ fee to receive this treatment.

During the September 2021 Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) Meeting, the committee was asked to consider The PBAC to consider a number of rituximab issues at the same time. This included the impact on the existing
biosimilar brands (Riximyo and Truxima) and biosimilar uptake drivers due to the delisting of the reference brand of rituximab IV (MabThera®).

Other issues include the potential extension of the rituximab PBS listings following numerous enquiries/requests in previous years.

The outcome of the PBAC was as follows:

The PBAC recommended removal of the administrative notes related to the biosimilar uptake drivers for rituximab, in light of the removal of the reference brand of rituximab, MabThera, from the PBS. 

The PBAC recommended that the PBS listings for all listed brands of rituximab be changed to Unrestricted Benefit listings (no restrictions apply to the therapeutic use*). The PBAC considered that changing the rituximab listings to unrestricted would provide subsidised access to treatment for patients with conditions where there are no alternative PBS listed medicines. The PBAC considered the expanded use would be cost effective given the price reductions to rituximab to date and scheduled from 1 October 2021. The PBAC noted the increased projected utilisation and requested that utilisation be reviewed after 18 months of the unrestricted listing.

Review the meetings outcomes here.

* as outlined on PBS.gov.au

Publish Date: October 18, 2021