Patients say ‘no more reviews or rhetoric’ as HTA reform crawls

Health Minister Mark Butler’s long-awaited announcement at PharmAus on 3 September, following the Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Review IAG Interim Report, was pitched as progress. Yet for patients and industry, it reads more like political window-dressing than genuine progress.

Deidre Mackechnie, CEO of Australian Patient Advocacy Alliance (APAA), warned that meaningful reform demands more than small gestures.

“Ensuring all the recommendations stick long term requires a solid foundation and these early steps do provide the beginnings of that. But they are just early steps and the patient community remains keen to see more, particularly in relation to patient involvement in the process,” she told Health Industry Hub.

The risk of endless deliberation was a concern raised by Tamara Dawson, CEO of the Melanoma & Skin Cancer Advocacy Network (MSCAN). She cautioned against letting “perfect get in the way of progress. We need to see the timely implementation of recommendations that will deliver for all Australian patients rather than more reviews or deliberations.”

The need for rapid, practical reform was echoed by Leanne Raven, CEO of Crohn’s & Colitis Australia. She pointed to specific measures that could make a tangible difference, including revising the PBAC guidelines around comparator selection and discount rates.

“Improved access to novel therapies is a top priority recommendation of the State of the Nation in Inflammatory Bowel Disease report. Rapid work to see action on the guidelines is what is needed after a long period of HTA review and implementation planning,” emphasised Raven.

From the rare cancers community, the frustration was sharper. Christine Cockburn, CEO of Rare Cancers Australia, said the slow pace was deeply disheartening for patients with limited time.

“We support the early focus on areas of high unmet clinical need and efforts to trial streamlined pathways for co-dependent assessments – two longstanding barriers faced by Australians living with rare and less common cancers. However, the slow pace of reform while patients go without treatments is deeply upsetting. One year on from the [HTA Review] report’s publication, we want to see actual change. No more reviews or rhetoric,” she asserted.

Ann Single, CEO of the Patient Voice Initiative (PVI), highlighted the human cost of delays, saying “Time to access can be a terrible loss for communities and time to implementation of reform is an ongoing burden for patient communities. We support the call for the immediate start to key actions outlined in Professor Wilson’s covering letter, including the stakeholder engagement framework.”

Industry leaders reinforced these frustrations, warning that Australia risks becoming a backwater for health technology innovation unless reforms move faster and funding follows.

Gabi Mittas, Associate Vice President and Managing Director of Amgen ANZ described Minister Butler’s announcement as a “step in the right direction,” but insisted on urgent follow-through.

“Any further review, analysis and consideration must happen immediately, so we see meaningful reform measures included in the budget process. We look forward to a robust budget in May that includes additional investment in the PBS that more appropriately values innovation,” she told Health Industry Hub.

Pfizer Australia & New Zealand’s Managing Director, Anne Harris, noted that of all the new medicines launched globally over the past decade, only 24% are subsidised for Australian patients on the PBS.

“We welcome that among the immediate actions announced will be a rolling review of PBAC guidelines, starting with comparator selection and discount rate, which are important in how medicines and vaccines are valued. Furthermore, the Minister’s decision to start work before developing a costed package ahead of the next Budget cycle will help to avoid further delays and accelerate delivery of tangible outcomes,” she explained.

The clock is ticking and the pressure on the government to deliver in the next 6-12 months is mounting. Cockburn warned, “Frustrations are high – now is the time for government to act boldly with the support of the sector. We do not need any more reviews.”

Mackechnie emphasised that the IAG’s timeline to deliver the final report is non-negotiable. “There is a huge amount of work involved but this timeline must be met, not the least because this will align with the budget cycle. We have waited long enough and progress needs to be funded and commenced,” she stated.

The government cannot afford more delays or empty promises, added Dawson and Raven, stressing that the IAG’s final report must provide a clear, actionable roadmap with rapid, transparent implementation of all recommendations over the next 6–12 months.

Sharpening the focus on funding priorities Mittas said, “It is now critical for the government to ensure meaningful and tangible action is accounted for in the upcoming 2026/2027 budget process, so Australian patients don’t have to keep waiting.”

Single echoed the sentiment, highlighting the importance of credibility. “We expect to see a bold and achievable timeline for implementation with those first key actions completed to give patient communities confidence that the subsequent actions will be implemented with the timeline,” she emphasised.

The message from patient advocates and industry is clear: after years of reviews and consultation, the government can no longer hide behind process. The sector is demanding action, timelines, and funding to finally deliver the HTA reforms patients have been promised.

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