Psoriatic arthritis
Interchangeability between biological agents (adalimumab, etanercept and infliximab only) for adult patients with severe active psoriatic arthritis.
Authority to supply adalimumab (Humira®) etanercept (Enbrel®), or infliximab (Remicade®) through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) for adults under Section 85 and Section 100 of the National Health Act 1953.
Guide to prescribing biological agents
Section 100 arrangements only for infliximab
These items are only available to a patient who is attending:
- an approved private hospital
- a public participating hospital
or
- a public hospital
and is either a
- day admitted patient
- non-admitted patient
or
- patient on discharge.
These items are not available as a PBS benefit for in-patients of the hospital. The hospital provider number must be included on the application form.
Restriction details
Adult patients must satisfy the initial treatment criteria to be eligible to commence an interchangeability cycle. Applications to change, recommence or continue PBS subsidised treatment will only be considered after an initial treatment course.
View a full transcript of the restriction details
.
All applications must be completed by the treating rheumatologist or clinical immunologist, with expertise in the management of psoriatic arthritis.
The restrictions for an interchangeability cycle are:
- initial PBS subsidised treatment with a biological agent
- continuing PBS subsidised treatment with a biological agent
- change to an alternate PBS subsidised treatment with a biological agent
- demonstration of a response to current PBS subsidised treatment.
Notes on interchangeability
Patients are eligible for PBS subsidised treatment with only one of the three biological agents for psoriatic arthritis at any one time. Patients can start a biological treatment cycle where they may trial etanercept, adalimumab or infliximab without the need to experience a disease flare, when swapping to an alternate agent. Within a single cycle, patients may receive long term treatment with a biological agent as long as they sustain a response to therapy.
Once patients have either failed or ceased to sustain a response to treatment three times, they are deemed to have completed a single cycle and they must have, at a minimum, a five year break in PBS subsidised biological therapy before they are eligible to start another cycle.
Within the same cycle, patients cannot fail or cease to respond to the same PBS subsidised biological agent more than once. If a patient fails to meet the response criteria for any biological agent, they must change to an alternate agent they have not previously failed to continue PBS subsidised biological treatment.
Item details
Dose
Adalimumab (Humira®) is presented as:
- a prefilled syringe containing 40 mg adalimumab in 0.8 mL
- a prefilled pen containing 40 mg adalimumab in 0.8 mL.
The dose for adult patients is one subcutaneous injection fortnightly.
The form of adalimumab 40 mg required must be specified on the prescription as either a prefilled syringe or a prefilled pen.
Etanercept (Enbrel®) 25 mg is presented as:
- a set of four vials of powder for injection 25 mg and four prefilled syringes of solvent 1 mL.
The dose for adult patients is one subcutaneous injection twice weekly.
Etanercept (Enbrel®) 50 mg is presented as:
- a pack of four single use prefilled syringes containing etanercept 50 mg in 1 mL.
The dose for adult patients is one subcutaneous injection once weekly.
Infliximab (Remicade®) is presented as:
- a vial containing 100 mg of lypholised powder.
The dose for adult patients is 5 mg per kg given intravenously.
Initially patients are to be treated at week zero, week two and then at week six. Subsequent infusions are at eight weekly intervals.
Calculating next assessment dates
To assist with calculating the next assessment date for patients continuing on the same biological agent:
- A letter confirming the application approval will always be sent for patients commencing on a program and when a patient changes to an alternate agent.
- The next assessment date will be provided in that letter (this assumes continuous treatment).
- To calculate subsequent dates for assessment, assuming continuous treatment, add 24 weeks to the previous assessment date.
Patient eligibility
Patients must meet the relevant criteria as indicated in the restrictions and be eligible to receive pharmaceutical benefits.
Test requirements
To ensure consistency in determining response, the same indices of disease severity used to establish baseline at the start of treatment with each initial treatment application, must be provided for all subsequent continuing treatment applications. All assessments must be within one month of application.
- Prescribers should provide both Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) and C-Reactive Protein (CRP) measurements with the initial application. Prescribers may choose to provide only one acute phase reactant measurement with continuing treatment applications. Where only an ESR or CRP level is provided at baseline, an ESR or CRP level respectively must be provided to determine response.
- Similarly, where the baseline active joint count is based on total active joints (that is, 20 or more active joints), response will be determined according to a reduction in the total number of active joints. Where a patient has at least four active major joints and less than 20 total active joints, assessment of the major joints only will be used for all continuing applications.
Demonstration of a response
It is recommended that patients who have had a minimum of 12 weeks of treatment, and who wish to have a temporary break in treatment for any reason, be reviewed immediately before, but no later than four weeks after stopping treatment. Failure to notify Medicare Australia of response means that this patient is deemed to have failed that particular biological agent.
For assessment purposes, please use form 4159 [PDF, 699Kb]
Please fax your completed form to 1300 154 019 so it can be included in the patient’s treatment history.
Recommencement of treatment after a five year break in PBS subsidised therapy
Patients who wish to trial a second or subsequent treatment cycle following a break in PBS subsidised biological therapy of at least five years, must requalify for initial treatment with respect to both indices of disease severity. Patients must have received treatment with either methotrexate, sulfasalazine and/or leflunomide, at an adequate dose, for a minimum of three months at the time the ESR and/or CRP levels and the active joint count are measured.
Toxicity and severity descriptors
To make sure the eligibility of patients can be fully assessed, a comprehensive list of toxicity descriptors is available. This should be used in conjunction with the application when demonstrating a patient's inability to tolerate methotrexate, sulfasalazine or leflunomide. The intolerance must be of a severity to necessitate permanent treatment withdrawal.
Lodgement details
The postal address for all written applications is:
Medicare Australia
Prior written approval of specialised drugs
Reply Paid 9826
GPO Box 9826
Hobart TAS 7001
(No stamp required if posted in Australia)
For assistance please call 1800 700 270** and select option 2 (8 am to 5 pm EST Monday to Friday).
** Call charges apply from mobile or pay phones only
Application forms (Section 85 and Section 100)
- Initial PBS subsidised treatment [PDF, 644Kb] (Form 4158)
Lodge this form for a patient starting initial PBS subsidised treatment with a biological agent. The patient and prescriber acknowledgments must be completed. - Continuation, change or demonstration of response to PBS subsidised treatment for psoriatic arthritis [PDF, 699Kb] (Form 4159)
Lodge this form for a patient continuing, changing to an alternate agent, or demonstrating a response to PBS subsidised treatment with a biological agent.
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Last updated: 18 December, 2008