The draft report of the PBS Medicines used to treat asthma in children review has now been published and is open for comment until 26 May 2014.

Under the Australian Government’s National Medicines Policy framework, the Department of Health (the Department) is conducting a post-market review of medicines used to treat asthma in children, and is seeking input into this important review.

The objective of this review is to systematically evaluate the body of clinical evidence regarding asthma medicine interventions to ensure the most appropriate management of children with asthma in clinical practice.

The need for this review was first identified by the Paediatric Medicines Advisory Group (PMAG), which found that 40% of the children supplied with a fixed dose combination (FDC) product (of inhaled long-acting beta-agonists and inhaled corticosteroids), had not first been prescribed a single ingredient product (an inhaled corticosteroid). PMAG considered that the extent of FDC use in paediatric asthma was a serious quality use of medicines issue and subsequently referred the matter to the Drug Utilisation Sub-Committee (DUSC) of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC).

For more details, go to: http://www.pbs.gov.au/info/reviews/asthma-children-reviews