RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE
PHARMACEUTICAL BENEFIT ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Summary
The Pharmaceutical Benefit Advisory Committee (PBAC) met on 15 July 2021 to consider applications for changes to the Prescribed List.
The PBAC was unanimous in its recommendations for the following changes to the Prescribed List to be implemented from 1 September 2021, unless stated otherwise.
1. Items to be added to the Prescribed List from 1 September 2021
1.1 Imiquimod 5% cream (250mg sachets)
1.2 Dorzolamide 20mg/mL eye drops (Eydelto brand) preservative free
1.3 Dorzolamide 20mg/mL, timolol 5mg/mL eye drops (Eylamdo brand) preservative free
1.4 Amlodipine 2.5mg tablets (additional strength)
2. Items to be removed from the Prescribed List (from 1 March 2022)
2.1 Dorzolamide 20mg/mL eye drops 0.2mL unit dose preservative free
2.2 Dorzolamide 20mg/mL, timolol 5mg/mL eye drops 0.2mL unit dose preservative free
- Items not recommended for inclusion in the Prescribed List
- Cavilon Durable barrier cream
- Other recommendations
- Liraglutide 6mg/ml solution for injection 3ml pre-filled disposable devices (Saxenda brand) – to pause recommendation to withdrawn reimbursement for this product when supplied as an adjunct to weight management pending review at next meeting
Mrs Alison Creed
PBAC Chair
3 August 2021
Recommendations
- Items to be added to the Prescribed List (from 1 September 2021)
- Imiquimod 5% cream (250mg sachets)
Imiquimod cream is licensed for the treatment of external genital and perianal warts and was recommended for addition to the Prescribed List for this indication. It is also licensed for other indications including treatment of superficial basal cell carcinoma and actinic keratosis.
In the treatment of warts, imiquimod offers an effective alternative to podophyllotoxin which is also included in the List. Based on prescribing rates in England, the use of imiquimod is expected to be low with an anticipated cost impact of less than £3,000 pa.
1.2 Dorzolamide 20mg/mL eye drops (Eydelto brand) – preservative free
1.3 Dorzolamide 20mg/mL, timolol 5mg/mL eye drops (Eylamdo brand) – preservative free
Dorzolamide eye drops, with and without timolol, are used to treat raised pressure in the eye. Products containing preservatives and without preservatives are already included in the Prescribed List; the latter is presented as single dose units. Two new products, Eydelto and Eylamdo, are preservative free products containing dorzolamide/timolol but at a lower cost than the single dose units. Switching from single dose units to these 2 new products could reduce total annual expenditure by up to £26,000, based on current levels of prescribing.
1.4 Amlodipine 2.5mg tablets (additional strength)
Amlodipine is used in the prevention of angina and to treat high blood pressure. Two strengths of amlodipine are included in the Prescribed List (5mg, 10mg) but a 2.5mg tablet is also available. Few patients need this strength but addition of the 2.5mg tablet to the List will remove the need for them to break a 5mg tablet.
- Items to be removed from the Prescribed List (from 1 March 2022)
The following products are recommended for removal from the List, to be replaced by items 1.2 and 1.3 listed above.
2.1 Dorzolamide 20mg/mL unit dose eye drops preservative free
2.2 Dorzolamide 20mg/mL, timolol 5mg/mL unit dose eye drops preservative free
- Items not recommended for inclusion in the Prescribed List
3.1 Cavilon Durable barrier cream
Cavilon Durable barrier cream is often requested and purchased by people requiring a barrier cream to protect the skin, for example, from contact with urine. It is one of a range of products used in the management of continence that are not currently included in the Prescribed List. PBAC members recommended that clarity is sought on the continence pathway and the role this product might play as one of a number of products that support this and similar conditions.
- Other recommendations
4.1 Liraglutide 6mg/ml solution for injection 3ml pre-filled disposable devices (Saxenda brand) – licence extension as adjunct to weight management
PBAC has received a few responses to its previous recommendation to remove liraglutide (Saxenda) brand from the Prescribed List and recommends that the decision should be revisited at the next meeting.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENT: CHANGES TO THE PRESCRIBED LIST AS OF 1 September 2021
Estimated cost impact of changes to the Prescribed List
Financial impact
The overall financial impact of the above changes is expected to be a decrease in net annual expenditure of around £22,000.
Product | Change to Prescribed List | Estimated annual cost impact |
- Imiquimod cream
| Addition | £3,000 |
- Dorzolamide eye drops preservative free
| Addition (remove single dose units) | -£26,000 |
- Dorzolamide/timolol eye drops preservative free
|
- Amlodipine 2.5mg tablets
| Addition | £1,000 |