Families Demand Government Action
Families of children with severe eczema have issued an urgent call for the Australian government to provide Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) funding for the medication dupilumab for children under the age of 12. This campaign, known as ‘Save Our Skin’, highlights the need to end the delay in treatment access for young children. The SOS for Kids with Eczema campaign by Eczema Support Australia is pushing for change as the PBS funding for dupilumab is being considered for younger children with severe eczema.
Melanie Funk, the Founder of Eczema Support Australia, remarked, “Thousands of children with severe eczema have been left behind while those aged 12 and older have accessed the breakthrough therapy through the PBS for the past five years, reducing the cost from $1,600 to just $25 per month.” Currently, children must wait until they turn twelve to access dupilumab through the PBS. Eczema Support Australia is campaigning to change this restriction, arguing that earlier access could significantly alter the lives of affected children.
Impact of Eczema on Children
Severe eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, is a debilitating inflammatory skin condition that affects approximately three million Australians. One in three children aged six or younger experience significant physical and emotional distress due to the condition. Melanie Funk explained, “It is not fair that these kids suffer the physical and emotional burden of severe eczema, from bleeding skin and sleepless nights to missed schooling and low self-esteem, when there is treatment that halts the condition in its tracks.”
Unlike traditional treatments, dupilumab targets the specific internal signals that trigger inflammation, offering long-term control of severe eczema. This medication is administered every two to four weeks and can be used by children as young as six months. Meanwhile, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee is set to consider the funding application for dupilumab, with a decision expected in August 2026. Families are hopeful that this will lead to PBS coverage for younger children.
Funk raised twin boys with severe eczema and shared that the condition robs children of a normal childhood and affects their health, emotional wellbeing, learning, and socialization through critical years of development. Families have expressed distress over the inability to access affordable treatment, with the current cost of dupilumab reaching almost $20,000 a year without PBS support. As a result, hundreds of families are contacting Eczema Support Australia in distress, unable to afford the medicine their children desperately need.
Last updated: 29 June 2026, 12:34 pm
