BRIEF—Additional PBS listing for Mayne Pharma's Kapanol

Australian drugmaker Mayne Pharma revealed that the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) has approved the reimbursement of its Kapanol low-dose sustained-release 10mg and 20mg morphine capsules for the treatment of chronic breathlessness in palliative care patients with advanced disease.

From September 1, 2019, the use of Kapanol for chronic breathlessness will be a new indication on the PBS Palliative Care Schedule.

This is an addition to Kapanol’s current PBS General Schedule listing for use in chronic severe disabling pain unresponsive to non-opioid analgesics.

Health Minister Greg Hunt said: “Kapanol helps with the relief of distressing chronic breathlessness in the palliative care of patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cardiac failure, malignancy or other causes and this listing will benefit around 20,000 Australian patients per year.”

Many of the patients suffering from this condition are housebound and very limited in their day-to-day activities.