Healthy Skepticism Library item: 11826

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Publication type: news

Medicines Aust priorities
Pharmacy Daily (Australia) - registration required 2007 Oct 25
http://www.pharmacydaily.com.au

Full text:

PEAK pharmaceutical manufacturing body Medicines Australia is calling on whichever political party wins government in next month’s election to “resolve critical issues surrounding timely access to medicines”.

A document called Medicines Matter to Australians is described as “a summary of election policy
priorities” identified by the pharmaceutical industry, and urges the incoming government to
also commit to implementing the program of PBS reform “to ensure sustainability of our medicines
system”.

MA ceo Ian Chalmers said a new government would have an important role to play in securing access to new medicines for Australian patients.

“Australians rightly expect universal, timely and affordable access to the latest and most promising medicines,” he said.

Chalmers urged officials not to take the industry which discovers, develops and manufactures medicines for granted.

“Investment in new medicines helps avoid costly treatment in other parts of our health system,
and provides productivity benefits to the economy,” he said, claiming that every dollar spent on medicines saves about $6 in other health costs.

The report specifically asks that the Access to Medicines Working Group should be required to provide an interim report by 01 May 2008 “with proposals to resolve outstanding critical issues
surrounding timely access to, and reimbursment of, new medicines in the future”.

Medicines Australia is also asking that the theshold at which Cabinet approval of new PBS listings is required be “substantially raised”.