Australia to add Pfizer's Lyrica to PBS list; call for antibiotic research incentives

Australia’s Health Minister Tanya Plibersek on Friday announced the government’s decision to subsidize US drug behemoth Pfizer’s (NYSE: PFE) chronic nerve pain drug Lyrica (pregabalin) through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme at a cost of A$447 million($ 430 million) over five years.

“This listing will be a great relief to hundreds of thousands of Australians who suffer from chronic nerve pain,” said Ms Plibersek, adding: “Sufferers of chronic nerve pain complain of a severe burning, shooting pain, like an electric shock. It can be so debilitating that it affects people’s capacity to work and go about their daily lives.”

Ms Plibersek said pregabalin was the first PBS listing specifically for this condition, which has a variety of causes and symptoms, and which can be difficult to treat, noting that “the medicine provides an alternative treatment to opioid medications, which can have significant side effects, and are considered a last resort.”