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The diabetes community spoke and Health Minister Mark Butler has responded.
This morning, Mr Butler announced that the government had secured another six months of access to Fiasp and Fiasp FlexTouch on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) for people living with type 1 diabetes.
About 14,000 people with type 1 diabetes use the fast-acting insulin product.
A statement by the minister reads that the decision came after the supplier of the drug, Novo Nordisk, decided to remove Fiasp from the PBS for commercial reasons on 1 April 2023.
Under the Supply Only arrangements to be implemented by the government from 1 April, patients who already have a prescription will be able to refill their current scripts and repeat scripts at a pharmacy during the next six months.
ADEA and our unified partners’ goal continues to be that Fiasp remains on the PBS for the long term.
We will continue to encourage Novo Nordisk and the Department of Health to work together to resolve this issue and ensure people can continue to access Fiasp.
We have been working hard behind the scenes to ensure the minister is informed about the impact of this decision on some people with diabetes. He has listened and acted.
Thank you, Mr Butler. Thank you for listening. Thank you for understanding and caring about people with diabetes.
Thank you to all diabetes advocates out there who have been speaking to the media, writing to their local MPs, signing petitions and making noise.
Thank you to our ADEA members and our partners: Diabetes Australia, JDRF Australia, the Australian Diabetes Society, the Australasian Diabetes in Pregnancy Society, and Australia and the New Zealand Society for Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes.
A united diabetes community gets things done.
For those who previously used Fiasp and do not have a current prescription, please see your doctor before 1 April to ensure you are able to access Fiasp via the Supply Only period or to discuss longer-term treatment alternatives.
“The government will continue to work with diabetes advocacy groups and industry to ensure Australians living with type 1 diabetes will have access to fast acting insulin beyond the Supply Only period,” Mr Butler’s media release reads.
The minister said the decision by Novo Nordisk to withdraw Fiasp from the PBS “has been deeply disappointing and distressing for Australians living with type 1 diabetes and their families”.
“Labor has a proud record of supporting Australians living with diabetes, including establishing the Insulin Pump Program in 2008 and last year giving all 130,000 Australians with type 1 diabetes access to subsidised CGM products under the National Diabetes Services Scheme,” Mr Butler said.
“The government will continue to act in the best interests of Australians living with type 1 diabetes.”
The diabetes community spoke and Health Minister Mark Butler has responded.
This morning, Mr Butler announced that the government had secured another six months of access to Fiasp and Fiasp FlexTouch on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) for people living with type 1 diabetes.
About 14,000 people with type 1 diabetes use the fast-acting insulin product.
A statement by the minister reads that the decision came after the supplier of the drug, Novo Nordisk, decided to remove Fiasp from the PBS for commercial reasons on 1 April 2023.
Under the Supply Only arrangements to be implemented by the government from 1 April, patients who already have a prescription will be able to refill their current scripts and repeat scripts at a pharmacy during the next six months.
ADEA and our unified partners’ goal continues to be that Fiasp remains on the PBS for the long term.
We will continue to encourage Novo Nordisk and the Department of Health to work together to resolve this issue and ensure people can continue to access Fiasp.
We have been working hard behind the scenes to ensure the minister is informed about the impact of this decision on some people with diabetes. He has listened and acted.
Thank you, Mr Butler. Thank you for listening. Thank you for understanding and caring about people with diabetes.
Thank you to all diabetes advocates out there who have been speaking to the media, writing to their local MPs, signing petitions and making noise.
Thank you to our ADEA members and our partners: Diabetes Australia, JDRF Australia, the Australian Diabetes Society, the Australasian Diabetes in Pregnancy Society, and Australia and the New Zealand Society for Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes.
A united diabetes community gets things done.
For those who previously used Fiasp and do not have a current prescription, please see your doctor before 1 April to ensure you are able to access Fiasp via the Supply Only period or to discuss longer-term treatment alternatives.
“The government will continue to work with diabetes advocacy groups and industry to ensure Australians living with type 1 diabetes will have access to fast acting insulin beyond the Supply Only period,” Mr Butler’s media release reads.
The minister said the decision by Novo Nordisk to withdraw Fiasp from the PBS “has been deeply disappointing and distressing for Australians living with type 1 diabetes and their families”.
“Labor has a proud record of supporting Australians living with diabetes, including establishing the Insulin Pump Program in 2008 and last year giving all 130,000 Australians with type 1 diabetes access to subsidised CGM products under the National Diabetes Services Scheme,” Mr Butler said.
“The government will continue to act in the best interests of Australians living with type 1 diabetes.”
