- MS Australia supports expanding nurse practitioner prescribing rights for key MS medications.
- The change would improve access to care, especially in regional and remote areas.
- The proposal will be considered at the November 2024 PBAC meeting, and the public is encouraged to submit their own expressions of support.
MS Australia’s Upcoming PBAC Submission to Improve Access to MS Care
In a key move to improve healthcare access for Australians with MS, MS Australia will be making a submission to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) in support of nurse practitioners prescribing specific MS treatments. This submission, to be considered at the PBAC’s November 2024 meeting, seeks to amend the current Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) listings to include nurse practitioners as authorised prescribers of fingolimod (Gilenya®), ofatumumab (Kesimpta®), and siponimod (Mayzent®).
What Role Will the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) Play?
The PBAC will meet to consider this submission in November 2024. The PBAC will review the proposed amendment to allow nurse practitioners to prescribe certain MS treatments under the PBS. As part of their review process, the PBAC will consider clinical trial data, community submissions, and pricing information. Based on this comprehensive evaluation, the PBAC will provide recommendations to the government on whether these changes should be implemented. The final decision, however, rests with the Federal Government.
MS Australia – Addressing the Care Gap
MS Australia, the national peak body advocating for people with MS, recognises that this change is essential for enhancing access to care, particularly in regional and remote areas where access to MS care can be limited. The submission is based on the findings of the recent MS Nurse Care in Australia report, which highlights the crucial role that MS nurses play in managing the condition.
One of the key findings from the report is that access to MS nurses leads to significantly better health outcomes, including slower disease progression and reduced severity of symptoms such as depression and anxiety. Unfortunately, access to MS care is particularly limited in regional and remote areas, where the shortage of neurologists further intensifies the barriers experienced by people living with MS.
Enabling nurse practitioners to prescribe these highly effective MS treatments would help bridge this gap in care. It would allow nurse practitioners to provide timely and comprehensive treatment, ensuring that people with MS in underserved areas receive equitable access to the best available therapies.
Enhancing Person-Centred Care
The inclusion of nurse practitioners in the prescribing process would also support a more person-centred approach to care. MS nurses are often the healthcare providers with whom people with MS have the most frequent and meaningful interactions. Their involvement in prescribing would streamline care pathways, reduce the burden on individuals, and improve overall treatment outcomes. This approach would enable timely adjustments to treatment plans, enhancing adherence and ultimately leading to better health outcomes.
A Call to Action
As the PBAC prepares to review this amendment, MS Australia continues to advocate for systemic changes that will improve the lives of people with MS. The organisation remains committed to ensuring that all Australians living with MS can benefit from a healthcare system that is inclusive, accessible, and equitable.
The MS community are also invited to provide comments in support of these applications. Consumer comments to the PBAC are due 25 September 2024 and can be submitted here.
More information about PBAC consumer comments are available here and here. For helpful tips for submitting consumer comments to the PBAC, please see here.
