SMART asthma approach

ASTHMA patients poorly controlled on current medications now have another, easily available treatment option.

Those patients not doing well on traditional fixed dose combinations or inhaled / oral corticosteroids can now be switched directly to Symbicort SMART (Symbicort maintenance and reliever therapy) following a new PBS listing of the treatment approach.

The restricted benefit listing for Symbicort (100/6 and 200/6 mcg budesonide/eformoterol) Maintenance and Reliever Therapy (SMART) applies to patients treated with any combination of inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) and long acting beta-agonist (LABA) or corticosteroids alone, who experience frequent asthma symptoms.

The head of thoracic medicine at Sydney’s Concord Hospital, Associate Professor Matthew Peters, welcomed the new PBS listing, saying the old stabilisation approach was impractical.

This listing simplifies the process of prescribing Symbicort as maintenance and reliever therapy, allowing a direct switch for appropriate patients with moderate to severe asthma not controlled on traditional fixed dose combinations or corticosteroids.

The PBAC recommended the 20-day safety net rule should not apply to Symbicort SMART, allowing pharmacists to supply a second Symbicort inhaler soon after the first.

2-Aug-2007