Medicines Australia welcomes investment and improved access to new medicines

Medicines Australia welcomed the publication of the Department of Health’s annual report, showing net expenditure on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) has risen by over 4 per cent in 2018-19 to $9.8 billion.

Key medicines listed in the 2018-2019 financial year included: ribociclib for metastatic breast cancer; lumacaftor with ivacaftor for cystic fibrosis; golimumab for spondyloarthritis; and avelumab for metastatic merkel cell carcinoma.

In 2018-19, the Medical Services Advisory Committee recommended public funding for Australia’s first CAR T-cell therapy tisagenlecleuce, to treat refractory or relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in children and young adults. The Department negotiated new funding arrangements with the sponsor and state and territory governments to make this frontier treatment available free of charge to young Australians with no other treatment options

“Medicines Australia and our members understand the immense value gained from investing in new medicines and expanding indications, to make medicines available to more Australian patients when they need them,” said Medicines Australia CEO Elizabeth de Somer.

“We know that investing in listing new medicines and expanded indications is an investment worth making and we are pleased that the additional investment in the PBS, demonstrated in the Department of Health annual report, is a signal that this is being recognised by Government.”

“Treatments and other technological advances are becoming more sophisticated, scientific understanding of disease is growing and medicine regimes are becoming more personalised. This means that some medicines are used to treat a range of diseases and illnesses.”

“We are committed to working with the Department to ensure Australian patients get the full benefit of the medicines we discover, develop and manufacture, into the future,” said Ms de Somer.

“We know that there is still more to do to ensure that we maintain systems that are fit for purpose and that will meet the needs of an aging and growing population and the expectations of a more informed community,” concluded Ms de Somer.

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