Australian Angiogram Review Panel - monitoring the use of photodynamic therapy with verteporfin

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Photodynamic therapy with verteporfin for choroidal neovascularization (CNV) secondary to macular disease received an Australian government grant in 2002 to fund treatment for 3 years. Funding was restricted to subfoveal predominantly classic CNV where visual acuity was at least 6/60. Access to this funding was via review of angiograms by an expert panel, the Angiogram Review Panel (ARP), managed by the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists. METHODS: De-identified data from the ARP were obtained for the period June 2002 to April 2005 inclusive and the panel's outcomes were analysed. Health Insurance Commission and Department of Veteran Affairs data for phot..