A consortium of organisations working together to help consumers and health professionals make safe and wise decisions about bDMARDs and other specialised medicines.
Biologics and other specialised medicines have made a significant improvement in the management of chronic diseases like inflammatory arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and plaque psoriasis.
On this page you will find evidence-based resources to support consumers and health professionals to make safe and wise decisions for using these medicines.
Information and resources
Inflammatory arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and axial spondyloarthritis resources
Inflammatory bowel disease
Crohn disease and ulcerative colitis resources
Plaque psoriasis
Plaque psoriasis resources
For pharmacists
Up-to-date information and resources for pharmacists, to optimise the safety and health outcomes of biologics and other specialised medicines for inflammatory arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and plaque psoriasis.
For medicines governance committees
The Council of Australian Therapeutic Advisory Groups (CATAG) has developed guidance documents to assist good governance and decision-making for health service organisations, medicines governance committees and health professionals.
Understanding biologics, their biosimilars and the PBS
Resources and information to explain how biologics and their biosimilars are approved and funded for use in Australia, and how to talk to your patients about biosimilars.
Introducing the Targeted Therapies Alliance
Value in Prescribing bDMARDs Program and the Targeted Therapies Alliance
NPS MedicineWise former CEO Associate Professor Steve Morris and ARA President and rheumatologist Professor Catherine Hill introduce the bDMARDs program.
Helping consumers and health professionals make safe and wise therapeutic decisions about biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) and other specialised medicines. Funded by the Australian Government Department of Health through the Value in Prescribing bDMARDs Program Grant.
The consortium also works closely with the key dermatology and gastroenterology organisations,
The Australasian College of Dermatologists, Psoriasis Australia, Gastroenterological Society of Australia and Crohn’s & Colitis Australia.
Targeted Therapies Alliance
- Arthritis Australia
- Australia and New Zealand Musculoskeletal (ANZMUSC) Clinical Trials Network
- Australian Rheumatology Association
- Cochrane Musculoskeletal
- Council of Australian Therapeutic Advisory Groups
- NPS MedicineWise
- Pharmaceutical Society of Australia
- Quality Use of Medicines and Pharmacy Research Centre (University of South Australia)
- Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia
Media releases
- PBS Practice Review – insights for rheumatologists on their prescribing for rheumatoid arthritis
02 May 2022 - New resources support pharmacists working with biologics and other specialised medicines
15 Feb 2022 - Complex medicine schedules make it hard to take medicines correctly
21 Dec 2021 - Supporting best use of specialised medicines for plaque psoriasis
16 August 2021 - Finding safe, effective treatments for inflammatory bowel disease
16 June 2021 - Biologics, biosimilars and PBS sustainability
21 May 2021 - Supporting best use of specialised medicines for inflammatory bowel disease
07 May 2021 - Keeping rheumatoid arthritis in check – start early to save your joints
16 Dec 2020 - New resources to support down-titration of b/tsDMARDs
03 Nov 2020 - PBS Practice Review – The role of bDMARDs in the management of rheumatoid arthritis
13 Oct 2020 - A new approach to support specialist prescribing of bDMARDs
17 Sep 2019