Endo treatment now listed on PBS

Australians living with endometriosis now have access to the first treatment to be subsidised for the condition by the federal government in more than three decades.

Since the start of this month, VISANNE (dienogest) has been available through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) for Australians living with endometriosis, a common and chronic condition.

Professor Jason Abbott, an obstetrician and gynaecologist from the University of NSW welcomed the new subsidy, pointing to an increase of more than 40 per cent in hospital admissions due to endometriosis in the past decade.

“Subsidised access to this medicine will be very welcome news for a large number of women living with this invisible disease,” Professor Abbott said.

“There is no cure for endometriosis, and it can last for decades.

“Affordable access to treatment options to help control symptoms is extremely important for a patient’s quality of life.

“Even after surgery, patients will require medication to help manage symptoms that could otherwise substantially affect their life, including reduced participation in school, work and social activities.”

Endometriosis is a debilitating condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows outside the womb and in other parts of the body, often affecting the reproductive organs, bowel and bladder.

It causes inflammation, scarring, and painful adhesions that join together pelvic organs that are normally separate.

“Endometriosis results in more than 40,000 hospital admissions each year, and leaves hundreds of thousands of other patients regularly reeling in pain,” Professor Abbott said.

VISANNE, a daily tablet which contains the progestogen hormone dienogest, works to prevent ovulation and menstruation, thereby shrinking and suppressing the growth of the abnormal tissue.

The new treatment subsidy will reduce the cost of VISANNE from more than $800 per year to around $90 (pension and concession card holders) or $380 (general patients) per year.

Despite endometriosis affecting an estimated one in seven women and teens, it can take more than six years on average to secure a diagnosis.

Lesley Freedman, co-founder of EndoActive with her daughter Syl – who was diagnosed with endometriosis at the age of 21 after experiencing chronic pelvic pain for 10 years – said delays in diagnosis were often due to a lack of awareness among those affected and healthcare professionals, as well as a tendency to dismiss issues relating to women’s reproductive health.

“Misconceptions about endometriosis being only period pain or related to a person’s pain threshold greatly undermines the experiences of people with this condition.

“Endometriosis can be an incredibly painful condition.” Many patients also deal with heavy periods, fatigue, fertility challenges, and a range of other symptoms.”

About 30 per cent of women undergoing IVF suffer endometriosis and half of all patients with endometriosis experience infertility.

VISANNE is now listed on the PBS for the treatment of endometriosis.

For more information, head to pbs.gov.au