L. Abdel-Malek1, P. Peters1,2
Immunosuppression is the only viable option for patients presenting with severe autoimmune or autoinflammatory conditions in a Dermatology outpatients clinic. The variety of different medications is long with much of the choice in the differing immunosuppression medications comes down to a variety of factors including clinical trials and evidence based medicine, clinician experience and availability on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) in Australia. One factor not regularly considered would be the cost to the patient for the subsidised medicines, a point that may be the deciding factor in patient compliance to medications. We have undertaken a review of the systemic immunosuppression used within dermatology to compare the cost to the dose/gram/frequency to introduce a new decision making tool particularly in patients who may cease medication based upon cost.