New contraceptive pill, endometriosis treatment and IVF drug to become cheaper with women's health funding

A contraceptive pill, endometriosis treatment and an IVF drug will be made cheaper to access, in the latest round of women's health funding announced by the Albanese government.

The government will fund several additions to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), including the contraceptive pill 'Slinda' which is a progestogen-only pill, and the new endometriosis treatment Ryeqo.

Both those drugs will be listed on the PBS from May 1, following recommendations by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Council.

Over 100,000 Australian women are expected to benefit from the listing of the Slinda pill each year, who without subsidy, might pay more than $250 for a year of treatment.

The drug Ryeqo, which is a relatively new pain treatment for endometriosis, currently costs up to $2,700 for a year's supply.

Health Minister Mark Butler, who will make the announcement in Adelaide on Sunday, said the cheaper medicines would help "catch up on decades of inaction and neglect in areas that are important to Australian women".

"These listings could save women and their families thousands of dollars across their lifetimes," he said.

To improve access to IVF treatment, Minister Butler said women with specific low levels of reproductive hormones would also have earlier access to a combination therapy known as Pergoveris through the PBS.

The treatment was previously only funded in later IVF cycles, but will be available through the PBS from April 1.

The number of Pergoveris pens per script will also be doubled, from two to four, meaning women who require four pens to complete an IVF cycle will only pay once.

Without the PBS subsidy, four Pergoveris pens would cost more than $3,500, Minister Butler said.

The government said the latest listings are in addition to a half a billion dollar package of women's health measures announced in February.

Minister Butler said Slinda was the third contraceptive pill to be listed on the PBS in recent months, following the addition of the Yaz and Yasmin pills.

"These investments really reflect our determination to keep improving options for women who face a whole lot of significant lifetime costs in health, not because they're sick always, but often because they are women."

Shadow Minister for Health Anne Ruston welcomed the announcement on Sunday but said it should have happened sooner.

"It is absolutely critical that Australian women have affordable access to the medications and treatments they need, especially right now as they face record high healthcare costs," she said.

"Prioritising women's health remains a top priority of the Coalition, as we remain strongly committed to our longstanding policy of listing all PBAC [Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee] recommended medicines on the PBS, and in a timely manner."

About one in seven Australian women have endometriosis, which is a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside of it, causing pain and sometimes infertility.

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners said the drug Ryeqo has recently been marketed as a new treatment for endometriosis, but its active ingredients have been used to treat other conditions for many years.

Last year, the Albanese government approved the first endometriosis drug to be listed on the PBS in 30 years.

A spokeswoman for Minister Butler said the exact cost to the budget of PBS listings cannot be specified, because they are commercial in confidence with the pharmaceutical companies who make the drugs.