There is some good news for severe eczema sufferers in St George and Sutherland Shire after an advisory committee recommended a treatment be added to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).
About 800,000 Australians are affected by eczema and of those cases 27,000 are considered severe.
A treatment, Dupixent, has been described as "life-changing" for its ability to end the itch and pain associated with the condition.
While it is available on compassionate grounds to some eczema patients, others can only get relief if they can afford the $1600 a month, or $20,000 a year cost of the drug, which is injected into patients.
Sans Souci mother Maria Kaloudis, whose close family members have suffered from severe eczema all their lives, joined the fight, travelling to Canberra earlier this year to lobby the government.
Ms Kaloudis previously wrote to Prime Minister Scott Morrison asking him to have the treatment added to the PBS.
Since then, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) recommended that Dupixent be added to the PBS for adults and adolescents with severe eczema, but Eczema Support Australia managing director Melanie Funk said it was feared the COVID-19 pandemic could push the decision back.
"Australians with severe eczema have been waiting for a PBAC recommendation for two years, so it will come as a cruel blow if a PBS listing is delayed," she said.
"Our members tell us that they feel that life is not worth living with severe eczema. It is even more unbearable for many to know that there is a medicine that can help, but they cannot afford the $1600 a month on private prescription."
Ms Funk said she was grateful to those members of parliament who supported their calls, and thanked the manufacturer for continuing to provide the drug free of charge through an early access program until it is added to the PBS.
For information about Eczema Support Australia click here or to visit their Facebook page click here.