More than one million Australians living with endometriosis will have access to a treatment subsidised by the federal government for the first time in three decades.
Health Minister Mark Butler announced on Sunday that a daily tablet will be listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).
"Women are suffering unnecessarily," he said. "They’re having their experiences dismissed, being called hysterical and accused of drug shopping."
Endometriosis is a disease causing tissue similar to uterus lining to grow in other parts of the body.
Symptoms include period pain, heavy menstrual bleeding, fatigue, pain during sex and reduced fertility.
The newly subsidised drug Visanne (dienogest) is a daily tablet that works to shrink and suppress the growth of abnormal tissue.
Nikki Steendam, 46, is living with endometriosis and has been taking the drug since her diagnosis.
"For a while there, I was like a zombie, just doing the bare minimum to get through the day," she said.
"These days, I’m feeling a lot better. My day-to-day life has improved, the pain has gone, and I don’t need pain medication."
The South Gippsland woman said having Visanne on the PBS means it will be available to everyone who needs it.
Roughly one million Australians are living with endometriosis, according to the not-for-profit charity EndoActive.
The condition causes 40,000 hospital admissions each year and it says hundreds of thousands of other women regularly reeling in pain.
"There is no cure for endometriosis, and it can last for decades," said Professor Jason Abbott, an obstetrician and gynaecologist from the University of NSW.
Prof Abbott said even after surgery patients need medication to help manage symptoms.
"Affordable access to treatment options to help control symptoms is extremely important for a patient's quality of life."
Without the subsidy, Mr Butler said patients could be paying roughly $750 a year for treatment.
The announcement is part of more than $107 million invested by the federal government in supporting Australians with endometriosis, covering research, intervention and treatment.
