The Australian Health Minister, Mr. Dutton, has approved 2 new expensive drugs for the PBS (26 October 2014). These 2 new drugs are described by journalist, Sean Parnell (the Australian 27 October 2014) as being for ‘rare medical conditions’ and will cost the government $237.5 million over 4 years. One drug, Ivacaftor, is stated to cost patients $300,000 per year and the other drug, Eculizumab (called ‘Soliris’ in Europe), is stated to cost Australian patients $500,000 per year. Eculizumab was not backed by UK Ministers in 2013 when it was licensed by a medical advisory board to treat the ‘exceptionally rare atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome (aHUS)’. In 2013 this drug was stated to be the most expensive treatment in the world.
According to journalist, Sean Parnell, the Abbott government has made 456 new or amended listings to the PBS since it got into government in September 2013 (12 months ago). The Abbott government has been updating the PBS 4 times more quickly than the previous Labour government. In addition, the government has announced a review of the regulation of drugs and medical devices in Australia. This review will examine whether approvals could be given faster and easier than the in the current system and it will be conducted by the former PBS advisory committee chairman – Lloyd Sansom and others. Abbott has previously written to radio host, Alan Jones, stating that the regulation of medicines is ‘a thicket of complexity, bureaucracy and corporate and institutional self-interest.’
A new system for drug manufacturers to enter the Australian market is also currently being implemented. This is being described as a ‘streamlined system’ that involves the Australian regulator, the TGA, accepting European documentation for local manufacturers instead of each manufacturer providing separate documentation to enter the Australian market. This will be in place within months.
The reference for this information can be found in the Australian, ‘PBS listing a boon for sufferers‘ (27 October 2014)
