PIDG sees no problem
March 14, 2012
THE first meeting of the
Pharmaceutical Industry Discussion
Group (PIDG) has concluded that, so
far, there have been no unintended
consequences from the 2010-11
Budget Measure ‘Further
Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
Pricing Reform’.
The PIDG was formed by the
Government to secure the passage
of the amendments to the Act, and
its function is to discuss the potential
and actual impacts of Further PBS
Pricing Reform, with reports to be
tabled in the Parliament detailing
the outcomes of each meeting.
In its first meeting, which was
tabled in Parliament on 13 March,
the PIDG discussed the potential
impacts on patients and the
pharmaceutical industry of Further
PBS Pricing Reform (including new
or increased statutory price
reductions and Expanded and
Accelerated Price Disclosure (EAPD),
to apply to all non-exempt drugs
listed on F2).
Despite finding that there were
no reports to the PIDG of
unintended consequences of the
reforms implemented so far,
members did note that there had
been concerns around the possible
impact of the largest of the
measures, EAPD, which will trigger
its first round of price reductions on
01 April 2012.
As such, the PIDG recommended
that the Department of Health
“work with peak bodies to continue
to manage the potential impacts of
EAPD, and monitor the sector in the
months after the price reductions
come into effect”.
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