THE HON MARK BUTLER MP
Minister for Health and Aged Care
The Government is delivering even more choice for Australian women with new and amended listings for contraception, endometriosis and IVF on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).
Drospirenone (Slinda®), which will be listed on the PBS on May 1 for the first time as a new contraceptive option.
Slinda is a progestogen-only-pill and may be used by women who cannot take contraceptives with estrogens.
Over 100,000 Australian women are expected to benefit from this listing each year, who without subsidy, might pay more than $250 for a year of treatment.
Roughly one in seven Australian women suffer from endometriosis.
They’ll now have access to a new medicine with Relugolix with estradiol and with norethisterone (Ryeqo®) to be listed on the PBS on May 1.
Ryeqo is a new endometriosis treatment option for patients who have experienced moderate to severe pain and cannot get adequate relief from other hormonal treatments and painkillers.
Around 8,500 Australian women are expected to benefit from this listing each year, who without subsidy, might pay more than $2,700 for a year of treatment.
Australian women undergoing IVF (in vitro fertilisation) will receive earlier and more affordable access to a form of fertility treatment, with the Albanese Government funding its use from the earliest stage of a woman’s IVF journey.
From 1 April, women with specific low levels of reproductive hormones will have earlier access to a combination therapy known as Pergoveris® (follitropin alfa with lutropin alfa) through the PBS. This was previously only funded in later IVF cycles.
Additionally, double the maximum number of Pergoveris pens (four instead of two) per script will now be listed by the Albanese Government. Over 6,000 women access Pergoveris® on the PBS each year, many of whom require four pens to complete a cycle.
These women will now pay just one patient co-payment for up to four pens as needed for their IVF cycle. Without the PBS subsidy, four Pergoveris pens would cost more than $3,500.
These listings build on Labor’s record $573.3 million in Women’s health that delivers more choice, lower costs and better health care for women.
Since July 2022, the Albanese Government has approved extra funding for 319 new and amended listings on the PBS.
As at 16 March 2025.
