Seven new drugs okayed for Australians by the fed govt

The federal government's Australian Drug Evaluation Committee announced it had approved the medication Intelence, for treatment of HIV, and the hypertension treatment Volibris.

The manufacturers of both drugs aim to have them listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).

Another drug, Seroquel, was approved for treatment of bipolar disorder, a devastating condition for which there are few medications currently available. The committee also cleared anti-infection drug Cubicin and Clexane for heart attack patients.

Other approved medications were for palliative care and blood clotting, the industry publication Pharma in Focus said on Monday.

The committee, which met last week, also approved a drug called Evista used to reduce the risk of invasive breast cancer in post-menopausal women who suffer from the bone disease osteoporosis, or who are at high risk of developing the cancer.

The recommendations still need to be signed off by federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon.