Healthy Skepticism Library item: 20003

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: Journal Article

Burton B
US-Australia trade deal strengthens power of Australian drugs industry
BMJ 2004 Mar 13; 328:(7440):604
http://www.bmj.com/content/328/7440/604.9.full?ecoll

Abstract:

The release of details of the free trade agreement between Australia and the United States has rekindled concern over its impact on Australia’s pharmaceutical benefits scheme (PBS) and the country’s present ban on advertising drugs directly to consumers.

Speaking at a business conference supporting the agreement, the deputy secretary of the Department of Health and Aging, Philip Davies, insisted that the changes to the scheme were minor. “All the changes in the agreement are essentially process related when it comes to the PBS,” he said.

Under the scheme the government subsidises approved drugs and negotiates discounted prices …