Drug utilisation sub-committee (DUSC)
February 2026
Abstract
Purpose
To review the recent utilisation of PBS-listed fluticasone propionate 50 microgram (mcg) in children following restriction changes in 2023 and 2024 as requested by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC).
Date of listing on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)
Fluticasone propionate 50 mcg was first listed on the PBS on 1 May 2001.
Data Source / methodology
Data extracted from the PBS database maintained by Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, processed by Services Australia were used for the analyses.
Key Findings
- In the year prior to the PBS restriction change from Unrestricted to Authority Required (1 April 2022 to 1 April 2023), there were an average of 12,122 prescriptions per month of fluticasone propionate 50 mcg supplied to children 5 years of age and under, and 13,698 to those 6 years of age and over. In the 3 month period where the items were Authority Required (1 April 2023 to 1 July 2023) there were 5,600 and 5,090 prescriptions per month, respectively. In the year after the restriction change from Authority Required to Streamlined (1 July 2023 to 1 July 2024) there were 7,916 and 8,788 prescriptions per month, respectively.
- From 1 April 2022 to 1 April 2023, there were an average of 2,607 patients per month initiating to fluticasone propionate 50 mcg who were 6 years of age and over. This compares to 178 patients per month from 1 April 2023 to 1 July 2023 and 1,535 from 1 July 2023 to 1 July 2024. The initiations in these later two periods were outside the PBS restriction.
- General Practitioners (including VRGPs, GP trainees and non-VRGPs) were the leading prescribers of initial prescriptions for fluticasone propionate 50 mcg in patients aged 6 years and over.