4 ms·
Australia? MS clinics around the country are free under Medicare, as is treatment. My friend is receiving twice annual infusions of Ocrelizumab. It literally co
by doctor_eval 4y ago
Australia? MS clinics around the country are free under Medicare, as is treatment. My friend is receiving twice annual infusions of Ocrelizumab. It literally costs them nothing.
I mean you can argue that Australia is a rich country, but it’s available to any citizen regardless of wealth.
- ipaddr 4y agoYou first need to get someone to prescribe Ocrelizumab
- doctor_eval 4y agoThat really was not a problem.
- refurb 4y agohttps://www.msaustralia.org.au/news/subsidy-recommendations-announced-for-two-medications-for-progressive-ms/ https://www.msaustralia.org.au/news/subsidy-recommendations-... It's not available if you have early, MRI-active primary progressive MS. PBAC decided not to reimbursement ocrelizumab for that.
- Broken_Hippo 4y agoMany if not most countries have preferred front-line treatments, usually decided by a combination of overall costs. These costs will include things like actual monetary cost, how closely you need to be monitored by your doctors (blood tests and stuff), how severe side effects are, how much the reduce disability in the long term, the ability of patients to stick with it and things like that.
- refurb 4y agoRight. And some countries choose to have first-line treatments that prioritize lower cost over efficacy of therapy. It's great as a taxpayer, not so great at a patient.
- rj9000 4y agoSome countries prescribe Rituximab as quasi off-label for MS. Basically same drug for all intents and purposes as Ocrevus. I think Sweden uses Rituximab openly for MS. In the US I've heard some neuros prescribe Rituximab if insurance won't cover O.
- refurb 4y agoRituximab was shown to be inferior in a head to head comparison against ocrelizumab.