The Federal Government has announced public funding for the $21,000-a-month cystic fibrosis treatment tezacaftor/ivacaftor (Symdeko) for patients aged 12 and older.

The PBAC recommended funding the drug in March as an alternative to lumacaftor/ivacaftor, saying the new combination had fewer interactions with antibiotics or antidepressants, which could otherwise force doctors to interrupt patients’ treatment.

At the end of October, Minister for Health Greg Hunt announced the drug would be listed on the PBS, with patients able to access it immediately.

This was one month before the drug’s official PBS listing date of 1 December.