This is the text extract for 2010-11 Clinicians Newsletter , browse documents here.

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Pharmaceutical Management Agency

GP Newsletter

Donepezil – fully subsidised

Nov 2010

Donepezil , a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia will be fully subsidised from 1 November 2010. Only Donepezil-Rex brand of donepezil hydrochloride 5 mg and 10 mg tablets will be funded. Donepezil should be prescribed stat unless Close Control criteria apply.

Levetiracetam – fully subsidised

The Levetiracetam-Rex brand of levetiracetam 250 mg, 500 mg and 750 mg tablets will be fully subsidised without the requirement for Special Authority approval from 1 November 2010. There will be no new approvals for the funding of Keppra brand of levetiracetam. All existing Levetiracetam Special Access (LSA) approvals will remain valid until expiry or until 30 April 2011, whichever is sooner. From 1 November patients with expired LSA approvals for Keppra will be able to get the funded brand, Levetiracetam-Rex.

Varenicline (Champix) – fully subsidised with Special Authority

Champix tablets will be subsidised, subject to Special Authority criteria, as a smoking cessation treatment from 1 November 2010. The criteria allow subsidy for patients who have previously had two trials of nicotine replacement therapy or a trial of buproprion or nortriptyline.

Etanercept (Enbrel) – fully subsidised with Special Authority

Funded access to etanercept will be widened from 1 November 2010. Funding will include, in addition to juvenile idiopathic arthritis, last-line use in psoriatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and psoriasis. Funded access will be subject to Special Authority criteria substantially the same as those that apply to adalimumab (Humira and HumiraPen) for these indications. Eligible patients will be able to access adalimumab or etanercept (in any order).

Adalimumab (Humira) – Special Authority criteria amendment

The Special Authority criteria for adalimumab for ankylosing spondylitis will be amended to remove the criteria relating to ESR and CRP from 1 November 2010.

Etravirine (Intelence) – fully subsidised with Special Authority

Etravirine (Intelence) 100 mg tablets will be fully subsidised, subject to Special Authority criteria, from 1 November 2010. Etravirine will be subject to the same Special Authority criteria that currently apply to all oral antiretrovirals for HIV treatment.

Darunavir (Prezista) – fully subsidised with Special Authority

Darunavir (Prezista) 300 mg and 400 mg tablets will be fully subsidised, subject to Special Authority criteria, from 1 November 2010. Darunavir will be subject to the same Special Authority criteria that currently apply to all oral antiretrovirals for HIV treatment.

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Insulin pen needles – new presentation fully subsidised

A new presentation (32 g x 4 mm) of insulin pen needles, B-D Micro-Fine brand, will be listed in the Pharmaceutical Schedule from 1 November 2010. The restrictions that currently apply to insulin pen needles and disposable insulin syringes will remain and will be applied to the new listing.

Temporary Apo-Selegiline listing

A new selegiline hydrochloride (Apo-Selegiline) 5 mg tablet pack will be subsidised from 1 November 2010. This pack is unregistered and will be supplied by Apotex in accordance with Section 29 of the Medicines Act 1981. This is a temporary listing to cover a potential out-of-stock.

Isopto Carpine eye drops now registered

Pilocarpine (Isopto Carpine) eye drops 1%, 2% and 4% have been approved by Medsafe for distribution within New Zealand. Isopto Carpine has been supplied by Alcon in accordance with Section 29 of the Medicine Act 1981 since August 2009; however, this restriction no longer applies.

Special Authority Queries: 0800 243 666 General Questions: 0800 66 00 50 (9am – 5pm Monday to Friday) Online: www.pharmac.govt.nz/healthpros/Schedule/PHONewsletter Inpharmation newsletter: www.pharmac.govt.nz/patients/ourviews/inpharmation Newsletter feedback: email rachel.mackay@pharmac.govt.nz

Please note this is not a complete reference to all changes occurring from 1 November 2010, for the full reference, please consult your Update to the Pharmaceutical Schedule.

“Make life easier, always prescribe generically”