Listing of Pharmaceutical Benefits (NHL) - Schedule 4 part 1

Moderate to severe ulcerative colitis

Subsequent continuing treatment

Patient must have previously received PBS-subsidised treatment with this drug for this condition under the First continuing treatment restriction; AND

Patient must have demonstrated or sustained an adequate response to treatment by having a partial Mayo clinic score less than or equal to 2, with no subscore greater than 1 while receiving treatment with this drug; or

Patient must have demonstrated or sustained an adequate response to treatment by having a Paediatric Ulcerative Colitis Activity Index (PUCAI) score less than 10 while receiving treatment with this drug if aged 6 to 17 years; AND

Patient must not receive more than 24 weeks of treatment under this restriction; AND

Must be treated by a gastroenterologist (code 87); or

Must be treated by a consultant physician [internal medicine specialising in gastroenterology (code 81)]; or

Must be treated by a consultant physician [general medicine specialising in gastroenterology (code 82)]; or

Must be treated by a paediatrician; or

Must be treated by a specialist paediatric gastroenterologist; AND

Patient must be 6 years of age or older.

Patients are eligible to receive continuing treatment with this drug in courses of up to 24 weeks providing they continue to sustain a response.

The measurement of response to the prior course of therapy must be documented in the patient's medical notes.

Patients who have failed to maintain a partial Mayo clinic score of less than or equal to 2, with no subscore greater than 1, or, patients who have failed to maintain a Paediatric Ulcerative Colitis Activity Index (PUCAI) score of less than 10 (if aged 6 to 17 years) with continuing treatment with this drug, will not be eligible to receive further PBS-subsidised treatment with this drug.

If a patient fails to demonstrate a response to treatment with this drug they will not be eligible to receive further PBS-subsidised treatment with this drug for this condition within this treatment cycle. Serious adverse reaction of a severity resulting in the necessity for permanent withdrawal of treatment is not considered as a treatment failure.

A patient may re-trial this drug after a minimum of 5 years have elapsed between the date the last prescription for a PBS-subsidised biological medicine was approved in this cycle and the date of the first application under a new cycle under the Initial 3 treatment restriction.

If patients aged 6 to 17 years fail to respond to PBS-subsidised biological medicine treatment 3 times (twice with one agent) they will not be eligible to receive further PBS-subsidised biological medicine therapy in this treatment cycle.