PBS should fund drug to treat breast cancer, endometriosis and gender dysphoria, experts recommend
Guardian AU
β’Tue, 18 Aug 2026 15:00:50 GMT
π° What Happened
Australia's Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee has recommended that the federal government fund the drug triptorelin with unrestricted use, which would cover treatment for breast cancer, endometriosis and gender dysphoria. The committee met urgently in July after AstraZeneca announced it would remove Zoladex from the market, risking leaving more than 7,500 women with breast cancer without an alternative treatment. Triptorelin has been PBS-listed since 2006 for prostate cancer.
π The Backstory
Both triptorelin and Zoladex block the release of oestrogen and testosterone, which can be a necessary part of treatment or fertility preservation for some cancers, and are considered essential medicines by the World Health Organization. They are also used to treat endometriosis and to block puberty, whether for precocious puberty or gender-affirming care. Australian governments have historically implemented the committee's recommendations.
π― Why It Matters
If adopted, a triptorelin listing would mean gender-affirming care is funded through the PBS for the first time, a significant policy shift. It would also secure a vital alternative for thousands of women with breast cancer at a time of an impending drug shortage.
Australia's Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee has recommended that the federal government fund the drug triptorelin with unrestricted use, which would cover treatment for breast cancer, endometriosis and gender dysphoria. The committee met urgently in July after AstraZeneca announced it would remove Zoladex from the market, risking leaving more than 7,500 women with breast cancer without an alternative treatment. Triptorelin has been PBS-listed since 2006 for prostate cancer.
Both triptorelin and Zoladex block the release of oestrogen and testosterone, which can be a necessary part of treatment or fertility preservation for some cancers, and are considered essential medicines by the World Health Organization. They are also used to treat endometriosis and to block puberty, whether for precocious puberty or gender-affirming care. Australian governments have historically implemented the committee's recommendations.
If adopted, a triptorelin listing would mean gender-affirming care is funded through the PBS for the first time, a significant policy shift. It would also secure a vital alternative for thousands of women with breast cancer at a time of an impending drug shortage.