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.