More PBS disappointment
August 14, 2012
INDUSTRY members are up in
arms over the Federal
Government’s decision to reject the
Senate Committee’s
recommendation to reinstate the
‘$10 million rule’.
“This was the government’s
opportunity to shut down the
deferral issue once and for all,” CE
of AstraZeneca Australia, Mark
Fladrich told media.
The $10 million rule basically
meant that drugs which had received
a positive recommendation by an
independent committee for PBS
listing and which would cost less
than $10 million per annum, could
bypass the Cabinet approval process.
The Senate inquiry kicked-off
after the Government’s decision
last year to defer the listing of new
medicines on the PBS,
recommended by the
Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory
Committee, a move which caused
uproar within the healthcare,
consumer and patient
environments.
Speaking in the wake of the latest
decision, Consumer Health Forum
CE Carol Bennett said “the lack of a
firm commitment leaves the door
open for this government and
future governments”.
“We need to ensure access to
essential drugs is protected from
political interference,” she added.
MEANWHILE the Federal
Government also rejected the
Senate Committee’s
recommendation to reverse the
current cost offset stance towards
new medicines on the PBS.
As such the cost offset will remain
in place, and drugs new to the PBS
will have to be balanced by savings.
This position leaves life extension
drugs and the patients that would
benefit from them in murky
uncertain waters, given that these
drugs have no cost offsets.
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 14 Aug 12To see the full newsletter, see the embedded issue below or CLICK HERE to download Pharmacy Daily from 14 Aug 12
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