1 May 2019 – Proton Pump Inhibitor Review: Restriction Level Changes

18 April 2019

The July 2018 PBAC recommendations under the Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI) Review included restriction level changes for these PBS listed medicines:

• From 1 May 2019, all standard dose PPIs (esomeprazole 20mg, lansoprazole 30mg, omeprazole 20mg, pantoprazole 20mg, rabeprazole 20mg) will change from Restricted Benefit to Authority Required (Streamline).

Common with many other PBS-listed medicines, pharmacists will be required to select the correct PBS Item Code that corresponds with the streamline code selected by the prescriber, otherwise the prescription will be rejected for payment by DHS. The streamline code reflects the indication for which the PPI is prescribed e.g. GORD, Zollinger- Ellison syndrome. Not all PPI PBS item codes are subsidised for all PPI streamline codes. This issue is neither new nor unique to PPIs. It is a good opportunity to reiterate the importance of item selection when dispensing, so that PBS dispensing data reflects practice as accurately as possible and for patients’ to have an accurate medication history recorded.