Life Saving Drugs Program (LSDP)

Due to the rarity of the disease the cost of treatment is proportionately more expensive than other drugs on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).  Funding in Australia is provided by the Federal Government through the Life Saving Drugs Program (LSDP), which provides subsidised access, for eligible patients, to expensive and potentially life saving drugs for very rare life-threatening conditions.

Before a drug is made available on the LSDP it must generally be accepted by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee as clinically necessary and effective, but not recommended for inclusion on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme due to unacceptable cost-effectiveness. 

Financial assistance for such drugs is granted in accordance with specified eligibility criteria and subject to certain conditions.

The supply of life saving drugs under this special non-statutory arrangement commenced in May 1995 and evolved from the former Act of Grace payment arrangements administered by the Department of Finance under section 34A of the Audit Act 1901.

Currently, funds are specifically made available on an annual basis for the following therapies:

• Imiglucerase (Cerezyme®), a drug for the treatment of Gaucher's disease; and
• Agalsidase - alfa (Replagal®) and Agalsidase - beta (Fabrazyme®) for the treatment of Fabry's disease
• Laronidase-rch (Aldurazyme®) for the treatment of Mucopolysaccharidosis type 1 (MPS1)
• Elaprase® for the treatment of MPS II
• Naglazyme® for the treatment of MPS VI
• Alglucosidase alfa (Myozyme®) for the treatment of Infantile-onset Pompe Disease

Criteria and conditions of elibility for these lifesaving drugs and application and registration forms can be accessed as follows: 

Guidelines for Eligibility to receive treatment with Algalsidase through the Life Saving Drugs Program (116kb)
Application Form for subsidised Enzyme Replacement therapy for Fabry disease  (134kb)
Criteria and conditions applying to financial assistance under the Life Saving Drugs Program