Diabetics in Far North Queensland may end up paying more for essential medications and treatment products, with the Federal Government set to review PBS-listed drugs used to manage the condition.

The review aims to improve health outcomes for diabetics in Australia, according to the Department of Health and Ageing website. Yet clinicians and diabetes groups are concerned the Government is only interested in cost-cutting, citing the recent precedent set by the Alzheimer’s Review.

According to 2012-13 Budget data, the Alzheimer’s Review was initiated after the Pharmaceutical Benefit Advisory Committee anticipated savings of $55.7 million over five years.

Though that review reduced the cost of related PBS-listed medications by 40 percent and relaxed access restrictions, it’s the Government’s review process that has diabetes groups unsettled.

Based on the level of cuts to the Alzheimer’s Review, they are concerned continued cuts to the PBS may act as a disincentive for newer, innovative therapies coming to Australia. This would cause Australia to fall behind the rest of the world in diabetes management.

“This is a not a solution for type 2 diabetics in Port Douglas,” say the diabetes groups, “as patients respond differently to different therapy options.” 

the LNP’s Member for Leichhardt, Warren Entsch, said the Coalition strongly supported the independence of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee in making recommendations to Government for treatments on the PBS. 

“The Diabetes Review hasn’t yet provided any recommendations to Government, or the Opposition for that matter, so it’s a bit early to speculate on potential cost-cutting and/or the reduction of available diabetes drugs," he said.

Australian Diabetes Council’s Head of Education and Prevention Kristin Hazelwood said if medications are cut from the PBS, “people with diabetes would pay more for their medications, and I don’t know how they can in the economy we have now.”

Type 1 diabetic and Port Douglas resident Sally Weavers agreed.

"It isn't fair, because type 2s already have it pretty rough. They’re not getting the help they need from GPs, and with so many type 2s, it's hard to get access to an an endocrinologist," she said.

A 2012 study of type 2 management found GP management "is falling significantly short of accepted treatment goals."

Various diabetes medications and products will come under review, including insulin pumps, blood glucose test strips, and drugs used to manage type 2 diabetes. Ms Weavers hopes it won't affect accessibility and affordability of the medicines keeping her alive.

“It’s not fair that the medication diabetics use to process blood sugar and survive could become a cost-saving measure for the government,” Ms Hazelwood said.

“The government can’t see that by saving money by taking away diabetes medications, they’ll actually be spending far more on hospital admissions.

“I know medications used to treat diabetes are expensive. However, it’s more expensive to treat people when they have complications – costs like dialysis, dressings for their wounds, and so on."

Despite the Federal Government making diabetes a national health priority, just 4.4 percent of the $9 billion total PBS expenditure was spent on diabetes medication.

Type 2 diabetes is the fastest growing chronic disease in Australia, with 275 new cases diagnosed every day.

In Far North Queensland, at least 13,500 people are currently living with type 2, with another 60 diagnosed every day. Diabetes is one of the leading causes of death for Indigenous adults aged 45+ in the region, according to a 2011 Indigenous health report.  

And with diabetes rates expected to triple in the next two decades and almost two thirds of Cairns residents overweight or obese, putting them at an increased risk of developing the condition, diabetes medications need to remain easily accessible and affordable.

The diabetes groups said “having a range of medicines available assists patients and the doctors to choose the treatment most likely to deliver the best results.”

Mr Entsch said “in terms of what’s happening in Far North Queensland, I’m very aware of the impact of diabetes on different communities. Indigenous people are three times as likely to have diabetes than non-Indigenous, and people aged 65-74 years have the highest rate of diabetes, so I can appreciate that Port Douglas and Mossman locals will be keeping a close eye on what comes out of the review."

Interested organisations and individuals have until 5:00pm on Tuesday 2 July 2013 to make a submission to the PBS Post-Market Review of Products Used in the Management of Diabetes.