THE government's landmark Cheaper Medicines policy has been a major success, but many Australians are still missing out on the benefits because they are being prescribed medicines that are not on the PBS, new research from the McKell Institute has revealed.
McKell's report Still Out of Pocket found 43% of people surveyed were prescribed medicines not listed on the PBS in the past three years, including those for dermatology or skin conditions (21%), pain management or chronic pain (19%), diabetes and obesity management (16%), mental health medication (10%) and contraceptives (10%).
Affordability issues meant 24% of those people did not purchase the medicine at all, while 16% said they were forced to go without essentials, like food and groceries, to afford it.
The survey was conducted in Nov 2025, and included around 1,500 Australian voters.
Overall, more than one in five people surveyed (22%) said they had delayed filling a prescription due to cost, while 18% did not fill the prescription at all and 15% skipped a dose to make their medication last longer.
Other measures included taking expired medication rather than filling a new script (12%), while 11% took less than the prescribed amount to make it last longer.
McKell Institute chief executive Edward Cavanough said the findings revealed a massive gap in Australia's medicines policy.
"The Albanese Government deserves credit for the Cheaper Medicines reform which has delivered genuine relief to millions of people, but this research shows that the policy isn't helping almost half of all Australians," Cavanough said.
"Nearly half of all Australians are prescribed medicines that aren't on the PBS, and for many of them, the situation is dire.
"When people are taking expired medication because they can't afford to refill their script, it quickly changes from a minor policy gap into a serious public health problem."
Cavanough noted that the government has demonstrated it is willing to take bold action on medicines policy, and suggested there was strong support to take it further.
"Our research shows voters want more ambitious action from government - 89% support increased investment in the PBS to ensure more medicines are available at an affordable price," Cavanough said.
"It's clear the public is ready for the next stage of reform."
Read the report here. KB
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