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Vol 35, (4) 177 - 258

What are the essential medications in pallative care? - a survey of Australian palliative care doctors

Phillip D Good MBBS, FRACP, is Staff Specialist, Newcastle Mater Misericordiae Hospital, New South Wales.

John D Cavenagh MBBS, FAChPM, is Senior Staff Specialist, Newcastle Mater Misericordiae Hospital, New South Wales.

David C Currow BMed, MPH, FRACP, is Professor of Palliative and Supportive Services, Flinders University, South Australia.

David A Woods MBBS, FACRRM, FAChPM, is Medical Specialist, Tasmanian Palliative Care Service (North), Tasmania.

Penelope H Tuffin BPharm, PGDip, HospPharm, is a clinical pharmacist, Cancer Council of WA Cottage Hospice, Western Australia.

Peter J Ravenscroft MBBS, FRACP, MD, FFPMANZCA, FAChPM, is Professor of Palliative Care, University of Newcastle, New South Wales

BACKGROUND There is a disparity of availability and cost of drugs in the community for palliative care patients through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) compared to those available to inpatients in public hospitals.

METHODS The Joint Therapeutics Committee of the Australian and New Zealand Society of Palliative Medicine, Palliative Care Australia and the Clinical Oncological Society of Australia surveyed palliative care practitioners in Australia to compile a list of drugs they considered essential.

RESULTS Drugs nominated generally had good levels of evidence for use in palliative care, although many practitioners still used some without evidence of benefit.

DISCUSSION We are now working with the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing to agree on a list of drugs for specific palliative care indications. As a result, the first ever section in the PBS for a specific patient population has been created. There is a need for high quality studies in palliative care to determine the best drugs to add to the list.

Last Modified: 27 March 2006
Authorised By: Australian family physician