New treatment for severe asthma to hit PBS in 2017

A NEW treatment for severe asthma is set to hit the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) as of January 1, 2017.
The new treatment, Mepolizumab, known as Nucala, will be reimbursed on the PBS for eligible Australian patients with severe refractory eosinophilic asthma as an add-on to their existing asthma therapy.
Nucala is the first treatment approved for this specific type of severe asthma.
More than 2.4 million Australians are affected by asthma it is thought that roughly 5-10% suffer from severe asthma.....

Read more here: news-mail.com.au

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Exposure to mold and dampness may increase risk of asthma and rhinitis

(HealthDay News) — Exposure to mold and dampness during infancy is associated with increased risk of asthma and rhinitis up to age 16 years, according to a study published in Allergy.
Jesse D. Thatcher, MPH, from the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, and colleagues obtained questionnaire-derived reports of mold or dampness indicators and allergic outcomes of 3,798 children in a Swedish birth cohort. They assessed sensitization from blood samples in 3,293 children. Generalized estimating equations were used to examine longitudinal associations between prevalent asthma, rhinitis, and immunoglobulin E (IgE) sensitization and mold or dampness indicators.....

Read more here: clinicaladvisor.com

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Asthmatics to benefit from $130 million drug subsidy

Severe asthmatics can breath a little easier following the announcement of $130 million in federal funding to subsidise two medications on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).
From February 2017, Spiriva Respimat and Nucala will be subsidised for four years, bringing relief to some of the 2.5 million people in Australia who suffer the chronic respiratory condition.
Federal Health Minister Susan Ley said despite the availability of several medicines for asthma on the PBS, many patients still experienced uncontrolled symptoms.

Read more here: abc.net.au