PBAC's latest decision on Oseltamivir: Not recommended (2008). Considered for Treatment of infections due to influenza A and B viruses in adults and children aged one year and older, commencing treatment within 48 hours of symptom onset.
PBAC outcome
Not recommended
Restricted
ICER (AUD/QALY)
Redacted
commercial-in-confidence
Submissions
1
first 2008
Submissions
1
2008 → 2008
Eligible population
Adults and children aged one year and older presenting with influenza-like illness, with treatment commencing within 48 hours of symptom onset.
Therapy area
Infectious disease
Line of therapy
First-line
Evidence base
RCT
Primary endpoint
Time to alleviation of symptoms
Key trials
WV15670, WV15671, Li et al. 2003, Kashiwagi et al. 2000, Lin et al. 2006, WV15758, WV15759/15871
Comparator
placebo
Economic model
CUA
ICER note
The submission stated the weighted ICER per QALY was 'less than $15,000', but the PBAC considered the estimate highly uncertain due to model assumptions and did not accept the submission on cost-effectiveness grounds.
ICER (historical)
$15k/QALY in an earlier submission (2008) — the latest submission carried no numeric base case. No single PSD states this combined range; see source PSDs.
Why PBAC said no
Reasons cited in the latest PSD: uncertain cost-effectiveness, uncertainty about clinical benefit in all groups, concern about use outside the intended restriction, potential for toxicity (particularly gastrointestinal adverse events), uncertain impact on resistance patterns in influenza viruses, high potential for off-label use in patients with influenza-like illness who do not have confirmed influenza