‘Life-saving’ test for familial hypercholesterolaemia secures MBS funding

Medicare will also support cascade screening for relatives

People with suspected familial hypercholesterolaemia can now be referred for subsidised diagnostic genetic testing — a move which could ultimately save lives, pathologists say.

New items added to the MBS this month also mean that if heritable mutations associated with the condition are detected in a patient, cascade screening will be available for their close relatives.