where the following conditions apply:

patients are eligible to receive further therapy with a biological agent within this Treatment Cycle provided they have not already tried, and either failed or ceased to respond to, PBS-subsidised treatment with 3 biological agents within this Treatment Cycle;

patients who have previously commenced, and subsequently ceased, PBS-subsidised treatment with infliximab within this Treatment Cycle are eligible to recommence therapy with this drug within this same cycle if:

(i) they have demonstrated an adequate response, as specified in the criteria for continuing PBS-subsidised treatment with infliximab, to their most recent course of PBS-subsidised infliximab treatment; and

(ii) the response was assessed, and the assessment was provided to the Medicare Australia CEO, no later than 4 weeks from the date that course ceased; and

(iii) the response was assessed following a minimum of 12 weeks of therapy, where the most recent course of PBS-subsidised treatment was a 22 week initial treatment course; and

(iv) response to treatment was determined using the same indices of disease severity used to establish baseline at the commencement of treatment;

the authority application is made in writing and includes a completed copy of the appropriate Psoriatic Arthritis PBS Authority Application - Supporting Information Form;

a course of initial treatment within an ongoing Treatment Cycle is limited to a maximum of 22 weeks of treatment;

if less than 22 weeks of treatment is authorised when the written application is made, a subsequent authority application for a supply sufficient to enable the patient to complete 22 weeks of uninterrupted therapy may be submitted by telephone

Commencement of a Biological Treatment Cycle, with an initial PBS-subsidised course of infliximab for continuing treatment, by a rheumatologist or by a clinical immunologist with expertise in the management of psoriatic arthritis, of adults who:

(1) have a documented history of severe active psoriatic arthritis with a record of rheumatoid factor negative status within the last 12 months; and

(2) were receiving treatment with infliximab prior to 16 March 2006; and

(3) have demonstrated a response to infliximab treatment as specified in the criteria for continuing PBS-subsidised treatment with infliximab; and

(4) have signed a patient acknowledgement form declaring that they understand and acknowledge that PBS-subsidised treatment with a biological agent will cease if they do not demonstrate the response to treatment required to support continuation of PBS-subsidised treatment at any assessment where a response must be demonstrated; and