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Delighted to share with you some exciting news just in.

Lantus has today officially been "recommended for listing as an unrestricted benefit", which means....

The Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC), a group of doctors and specialists who advise the Australian Government on which medicines should and shouldn't be supported (subsidised) have made an official recommendation to the Government that Lantus be listed on the Phamaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).

If their recommendation is accepted by the Government, Lantus would be available the same way and at the same price as other insulins we use like Humalog, Protaphane, Humulin, etc. Lantus (insulin glargine is its chemical name) currently has to be purchased at its full cost which means people are paying $130 for one box of 5 x 3mL penfills. PBS listing would mean it costs $29.50 ($4.70 if you have a concession card) for five times as much!

The announcement from the Department of Health goes like this:

The PBAC recommended the listing of insulin glargine as an unrestricted benefit on the basis that the clinical benefit over NPH insulin (improvement in hypoglycaemic event rates) in a population which cannot be defined effectively, but which is likely to include those with a high level of need, was cost- effective at the new price proposed.

When will Lantus be cheaper?
 

This announcement is a huge step forward, but not yet a done deal. The Government still needs to accept the PBAC's recommendation.

You can't walk into a chemist today (or tomorrow) and buy Lantus at cheaper prices. However, this recommendation is an extremely positive step forward and we will watch eagerly as things now move forward.

When there will be progress on the ground is currently not known.

How do I keep up to date? Reality Check will email you when it's all a done deal with more information. In the meantime....

  • D-Watch is a popular section on the Reality Check website for updates on hot topics such as Lantus listing.

    • What the heck is Lantus? Why all the fuss?
     

    So why is everyone getting excited about Lantus? It is totally different to any other insulin that has been available to us up until now. It's chemical make up is different and importantly, how it works and what it does is very different.

    All other insulins are injected, then take a while to start working, 'peak' and then drop off until they stop working.

    Lantus instead has what is called a 'flat profile'. (Click here for a picture that shows the differences.) It is injected and starts working and then keeps having the same, constant effect for between 16 and 24 hours. This is longer than most insulins but it is the lack of a peak which is especially exciting. It means you are achieving insulin doses much more similar to how a non-diabetic's body works, with a constant dribble of insulin then the necessary spurts with your short acting insulin when you eat. Lantus has been shown to reduce hypos for a lot of people.

    If this sounds familiar, it is also how an insulin pump works, though a pump of course allows you to control much more tightly exactly how much insulin you are getting at any one time. Lantus, and Novo Nordisks's answer to Lantus, Levemir, have been referred to as the poor (wo)man's pump due to this similarity but difference, in both costs and time and effort required.

    Is Levemir also looking good?
     

    Levemir, an insulin released in Australia by Novo Nordisk last year, is similar to Lantus in that it has a long, flat profile.

    The announcement from the PBAC did not mention Levemir (also known as insulin detemir, its chemical name). It was submitted to the PBAC for consideration last year at the same time as Lantus most recent application, but it was rejected, and unlike for Lantus, there has not yet been any further news. We will let you know if we hear any more.

    In other news...
     
    Quick Survey about Living with Type 1

    Reality Check is currently conducting a survey of adults with Type 1 diabetes. It takes just 3 - 5 minutes.

    All Australians who do the survey can go in the draw to win 1 of FIVE fancy teeny tiny Papillon Mini blood glucose meters to be won!

    Please click on this link to do the survey, if you haven't already:
    http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.a sp? u=537921999284

    GET IN QUICK. Survey and competition CLOSE THIS THURSDAY 27th April. All adults with Type 1 are very welcome to respond.

    Help Educator Future Doctors - Sydney
     
    If you'd like to help educator our future doctors, you can come along to Sydney Uni on Monday 29 May (11.30 am to 1 pm) and be part of a session for 2nd year med students.

    You will be asked to discuss with a group of 10-20 students your experience of the doctor-patient relationship and its impact on the management of diabetes.

    Cheers!
     

    There's a link below to make it easy to share this email with friends and family who might be interested in the news too.

    And if you have any more questions, please don't hesitate to jump onto our website's forum or Hit Reply to this email!

    All the best,

    Kate Gilbert
    Founder & Volunteer
    REALITY CHECK young adults with diabetes Inc.
     

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