A RANGE of medicines for conditions including menopause symptoms, severe acne and prostate cancer are to become available through Jersey’s public prescription scheme from next month.
Social Security Minister Elaine Millar has approved changes to the Prescribed List from 1 September following recommendations from the Pharmaceutical Benefit Advisory Committee.
This government-approved catalogue sets out which medicines and pharmaceutical products can be prescribed free of charge to Islanders through funding from the Health Insurance Fund.
If a doctor prescribes a medicine that does not feature on the list, it is classed as a private prescription, meaning the patient must pay the full cost themselves.
The list is updated regularly. New additions this month include fezolinetant for moderate to severe symptoms associated with menopause, isotretinoin for severe acne, relugolix for hormone-sensitive prostate cancer and medication for erectile dysfunction.
Treatments for urinary tract infections, lung infections and some skin conditions are also being added.
Meanwhile, the brand of denosumab injection reimbursed by the Health Insurance Fund will be restricted to lower-cost Stoboclo instead of Prolia – a change expected to cut spending on the drug by around 50%.
Lower-cost alternative brands of some inhalers will also become available, although there are no plans for patients to be switched en masse.
Overall, the changes are expected to increase annual expenditure by around £105,000.
