An Australian professional society's attempt to ban repeat standard-dose proton pump inhibtors prescriptions for gastroesophageal reflux patients was scrapped after several physicians protested, Pharmacy News reports.
Here's what you should know:
1. PBAC issued the recommendation at a meeting earlier in the year. The society wanted to curb long-term PPI use at anything other than the lowest doses.
2. The group would have continued allowing PPIs to be used if GERD patients had their diagnosis confirmed via endoscopy.
3. Physicians argued the rules were "clinically not necessary and burdensome for patients."
4. PBAC did, however, propose changing criteria for the PPIs in question to streamlined authority status.