PBAC's latest decision on Nurse practitioners as secondary reviewers: Not recommended (2020). Considered for Secondary annual review of patients on ongoing treatment with PBS subsidised opioid medications for chronic pain.
PBAC outcome
Not recommended
2020
ICER (AUD/QALY)
Not modelled
no economic evaluation
Submissions
1
first 2020
Submissions
1
2020 → 2020
Eligible population
Non-palliative patients with chronic pain requiring more than 12 months of opioid treatment.
Therapy area
Pain
Line of therapy
Not applicable
Evidence base
Other
Economic model
Not modelled
ICER note
Not applicable — this is a policy/administrative submission regarding reviewer qualifications, not a drug submission with economic evaluation.
Why PBAC said no
Reasons cited in the latest PSD: Only 2,097 nurse practitioners registered nationally (insufficient scope); request did not identify barriers to appropriate opioid access that the requested change would overcome; telehealth may address stated challenges; changes to opioid listings were intended to reduce harms from prescription opioid dependence and inappropriate use.