Is item 37218 (injection into prostate) no longer recognised under the Medicare Benefits Scheme; if so, why, and does this mean that rebates for the insertion of gold seeds into the prostate for radiotherapy treatment of prostate cancer no longer apply.

The insertion of gold fiducial seeds into the prostate and their use as markers for Image Guided Radio Therapy (IGRT) in the treatment of prostate cancer are new medical services that have not had their safety, effectiveness and cost effectiveness evaluated by the Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC).

Item 37218 is payable for an injection into, or a needle biopsy of the prostate. The term ‘injection’ in the context of this item was intended for the injection of antibiotics or other medicines.

In January 2010, the Faculty of Radiation Oncology, RANZCR, committed to providing an application to MSAC for an assessment of IGRT (using gold fiducial seeds as markers). As a consequence there will be no changes to the item descriptor at this time.

In the interim, my Department has agreed that item 37218 can continue to be used for the insertion of gold fiducial seeds.