To the Editor: Bupropion hydrochloride was listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) on 1 February 2001 for use as short-term adjunctive therapy for high nicotine dependence, with the goal of maintaining abstinence. Supply is limited to one application per year, with no repeats, and a maximum quantity of 120 tablets at a dispensed cost of $238.95.
The full article is accessible to AMA members and paid subscribers. Login to read more or purchase a subscription now.
Please note: institutional and Research4Life access to the MJA is now provided through Wiley Online Library.
Correspondence: c.doran@unsw.edu.au
- 1. PBS expenditure and prescriptions February 2001 to December 2001. Canberra: Department of Health and Aged Care, 2002. Available at <http://www.hic.gov.au/statistics/dyn_pbs/forms/pbs_tab1.shtml
- 2. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Health expenditure bulletin no. 17: Australia's health services expenditure to 1999–00. Canberra: AIHW, 2001. (Catalogue No. HWE 18; Health and Welfare expenditure series No. 12.)
- 3. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. 1998 National drug strategy household survey: first results. Canberra: AIHW, 1999. (AIHW Catalogue No. PHE 15; Drug Statistics Series.)
- 4. Australian Bureau of Statistics. Australian population by age and sex, Australian States and Territories. Drug Statistics Series. Canberra: ABS, 2001. (Catalogue no. 3201.0.)
- 5. Robertson J, Fryer JL, O'Connell DL, et al. Limitations of Health Insurance Commission (HIC) data for deriving prescribing indicators. Med J Aust 2002; 176: 419-424. <MJA full text>
Online responses are no longer available. Please refer to our instructions for authors page for more information.