March PBAC agenda unveiled amid tensions over ‘unprecedented’ volume of submissions

The Department of Health has released the agenda for the March 2025 Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) meeting, unveiling plans to address what it has described as an “unprecedented” volume of submissions.

As announced by the Federal Health Minister, Mark Butler MP, in early November 2024, the government has now committed to securing additional resources to meet the evaluation capacity required. The move came amid increasing pressure from the pharmaceutical industry, Shadow Health Minister Senator Anne Ruston, and patient advocacy groups, all calling for a timely review process.

In a communique, PBAC Chair Robyn Ward and Deputy Chair Jo Watson stated, “In relation to the considerations in March and May 2025, the Committee noted applicants were given an opportunity to provide further information about submissions they had proposed for March 2025.”

The Department of Health reported receiving 63 submissions for the March 2025 meeting of which 51 submissions require full clinical and economic evaluation.

This is “unprecedented, and is more than can be evaluated by suitable HTA service providers in Australia in time for the March 2025 PBAC meeting,” the Department stated. However, it has confirmed that with the additional resource allocation, “all submissions will be considered by May 2025.”

For the March meeting, the PBAC will review 46 submissions, including 34 requiring external evaluation, of which 28 involve complex economic assessments, such as cost-effectiveness or cost-utility analyses. According to the Department’s records spanning the past decade, this marks the highest number of submissions presenting cost-effectiveness analyses at a single PBAC meeting. The remaining 17 submissions will be considered at the May 2025 meeting.

Key timelines for the May 2025 meeting, including dates for applicant responses, public consultations, subcommittee meetings, and the release of minutes, are now available on the PBS calendar.

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