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Severe asthma (SA) Program in Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) 012-18051136

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SA restriction and item codes

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Contact details

PBS Complex Drugs Programs

Forms

Severe allergic asthma paediatric - omalizumab - initial authority application form (PB188)

Severe asthma - adolescent and adult - initial or recommencement after 12 months break authority application form (PB075)

Severe asthma - adolescent and adult - continuing authority application form (PB076)

Severe asthma - adolescent and adult - change authority application form (PB285)

Services Australia website

Severe asthma

External websites

PBS schedule for Severe asthma

ACQ-5 assessment form

The ACQ-5 assessment form is owned by a third party.

Prescribers can locate this form by contacting Novartis Medical Information.

FAQs for Service Officers

Table 1: see Table 2 in Processing Complex Authority Required Listings for FAQs about all Complex programs.

Item

Description

1

When the prescriber writes the eosinophils as 0.3, how is this entered in OPA?

The eosinophil count is entered in OPA as 300. Prescribers may use different units to those written in the restriction, other examples:

  • 1.1 is entered as 1100, and
  • 0.15 is entered as 150

2

Are patients able to change from dupilumab 200mg to dupilumab 300mg?

No. Increasing from 200mg and 300mg strengths is not permitted. The respective strengths are PBS approved for different patient cohorts.

3

Are patients able to change from dupilumab 300mg to dupilumab 200mg?

Yes. Decreasing strength can be approved as continuing treatment.

4

What is the correct process when the ACQ-5 is done after the date of prescribing and OPA is rejecting with reason code 099?

Confirm all other answers are correct using the appropriate Q+As resources. Override the rejection for an ACQ-5 that is:

  • dated after date of prescribing or on and before date of lodgement
  • not future dated (ACQ-5 is not after the date of lodgement)

5

If a patient has a break in therapy and wishes to continue with the same agent, can this be approved?

The prescriber must submit a continuing request including, an ACQ-5 assessment conducted within 4 weeks of the last dose of biological medicine.

There is no requirement on a continuing application for the ACQ-5 to be current.