New independent chair for HTA Review revealed

Pharma News: A pre-election promise of the Labor government was to review the appointment of Dr Peter Boxall as the independent chair of the the Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Review which was put forward by the former government.

A document on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) website has revealed that Mark Butler MP, Minister for Health and Aged Care, will shortly be announcing the appointment of Adjunct Professor Debora Picone AO as the independent chair of the Reference Committee for the HTA Review. She is the former CEO of the Australian Commission of Safety and Quality in Health Care (ACSQHC).

Professor Picone is a highly respected leader in public administration, with extensive operating and leadership experience in the provision of healthcare services, governance, and hospital administration. She was also the NSW Health Director-General from 2007-2011.

According to the Consumer Health Forum CEO, Dr Elizabeth Deveny, Professor Picone amplified the value of the consumer voice in her former role as the CEO of ACSQHC. She included processes through the work of the commission to ensure the health consumer voice is embedded in healthcare, system and policy design.

The other HTA Review Committee members remain as previously put forward by the former government and include John Young (Medicines Australia); Professor Andrew Roberts AO (Clinical/Scientific Expert); Professor Andrew Wilson (Chair of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee); Adriana Platona PSM (Government Representative); Dr Dawn Casey PSM (National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation – NACCHO); and Ann Single (Patient Voice Initiative).

The Albanese Government committed to the HTA Review and the goal of reducing the length of time patients wait to access new and innovative medicines, treatments, and vaccines – and the Committee will be driving this reform process to inform Government.

Once formed, the first task of the Reference Committee will be to prepare the terms of reference for the HTA Review in consultation with the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC), and other stakeholders including Medicines Australia.