Patient eligibility
The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) subsidises treatment with imatinib under the National Health Act 1953, section 85 for patients with rare diseases.
Where the term rare diseases appears, it refers to:
- dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP)
- hypereosinophilic syndrome or chronic eosinophilic leukaemia (HES/CEL)
- platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR) B fusion gene-positive myelodysplastic or myeloproliferative disorder (MDS/MPD)
- aggressive systemic mastocytosis (ASM) with eosinophilia.
Patients must be eligible for the PBS and meet the relevant restriction criteria.
The Schedule of Pharmaceutical Benefits on the PBS website outlines the restrictions for prescribing imatinib.
Treatment specifics
The table below is a guide to prescribing PBS-subsidised imatinib for rare diseases.
| Name and dose per day | Daily dose | Tablet strength | Authority prescription | Quantity | Maximum repeats |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (maximum 800 mg per day) | 400 mg | 400 mg | 1 x 400 mg | 30 | 5 |
| 100 mg | 4 x 100 mg | 120 | 5 | ||
| 600 mg | 100 mg | 6 x 100 mg | 180 | 5 | |
| or | |||||
| 400 mg | 1 x 400 mg | 30 | 5 | ||
| and | |||||
| 100 mg | 2 x 100 mg | 60 | 5 | ||
| 800 mg | 400 mg | 2 x 400 mg | 60 | 5 | |
| 100 mg | 8 x 100 mg | 240 | 5 | ||
| Hypereosinophilic syndrome or chronic eosinophilic leukaemia (maximum 400 mg per day) | 400 mg | 400 mg | 1 x 400 mg | 30 | 5 |
| 100 mg | 4 x 100 mg | 120 | 5 | ||
| PDGFR B fusion gene-positive myelodysplastic or myeloproliferative disorder (maximum 400 mg per day) | 400 mg | 400 mg | 1 x 400 mg | 30 | 5 |
| 100 mg | 4 x 100 mg | 120 | 5 | ||
| Aggressive systemic mastocytosis with eosinophilia (maximum 400 mg per day) | 400 mg | 400 mg | 1 x 400 mg | 30 | 5 |
| 100 mg | 4 x 100 mg | 120 | 5 |
Applications
To apply for initial PBS-subsidised imatinib to treat rare diseases call the PBS authority approvals enquiry line .
Continuing PBS-subsidised imatinib to treat rare diseases is Authority Required (Streamlined). It doesn’t need authority approval from us for listed quantities and repeats.
More information
Call the PBS authority approvals enquiry line for more information.