Member for Robertson Gordon Reid has welcomed the announcement that the life-changing cystic fibrosis medication Trikafta will soon be listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) for children aged 6-11 living with the condition.
Trikafta was first listed on the PBS for those aged 12 years and over on April 1, 2022, and from May 1, 2023, children aged 6 to 11 with cystic fibrosis will also have access to this medicine through the PBS.
Reid said children living with cystic fibrosis and their families will now have affordable access to the life-changing medication.
“The cystic fibrosis community on the Central Coast and across Australia has been fighting hard to list Trikafta on the PBS for children aged 6 to 11,” he said.
“I am so pleased to be a part of a Federal Government that has listened and acted swiftly to get this medication on the PBS, so families with children living with cystic fibrosis do not continue spending obscene amounts of money on Trikafta per year.”
The listing of Trikafta on the PBS will benefit over 500 children and their families each year.
Without subsidy, Trikafta could cost families more than $250,000 annually.
One in 2,500 babies in Australia is born with cystic fibrosis and there is no known cure.
The condition affects the lungs and digestive system.
According to Cystic Fibrosis Australia, the estimated median survival of a person with cystic fibrosis in Australia is 47 years.
Now treatments like Trikafta will improve life expectancy and improve quality of life for people with the condition.
“I first met Central Coast local and advocate, Jess Ragusa, who lives with cystic fibrosis, during 2022 when the CF community were calling on the then Federal Government to list Trikafta on the PBS for Australians,” Reid said.
“I was more than willing to lend my support to this campaign, and I was so pleased when the Australian Government announced that Trikafta would be listed.
“This recent announcement is another win for strong advocates like Jess Ragusa, and all Australians living with cystic fibrosis.”
To find out more about cystic fibrosis in Australia, visit: https://www.cysticfibrosis.org.au/.
Verified Source:
Member for Robertson Gordon Reid