PBPA to go in new PBS
March 10, 2014
The Pharmaceutical Benefits
Pricing Authority (PBPA) will cease
to be as of 01 Apr in a streamlined
Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
(PBS) pricing process (PD breaking
news 07 Mar).
The Department of Health said
the new process would reduce
time taken to list medicines on
the PBS and improve access,
cutting four weeks off the listing
time for medicines and giving
sponsors additional time to finalise
submissions.
This shorter timeframe would be
due to pricing agreements being
reached faster, once approved
by the Pharmaceutical Benefits
Advisory Committee (PBAC), the
Department said.
The final decision on price would
still be made by the minister or
delegate.
Once the PBPA ceased to be,
sponsors would need to provide
cost of goods information when
submitting, but there would be a
transition period to assist industry.
There would be no change
for price increase for currently
subsidised medicines.
The Department said it would
be in contact with member
organisations to ensure a smooth
transition.
Medicines Australia ceo Dr
Brendan Shaw said the group had
not been consulted on the change
prior to the decision being made.
“We recognise that the
streamlining of the pricing process
should mean a quicker listing time
for companies.
“We will be seeking dialogue with
the Government on how we can
ensure industry views and advice
are incorporated into the PBS listing
process in the future.
“Industry involvement in the PBS
process is important to ensure
decisions are informed by how the
market works in the real world,
the practical aspects of how the
industry operates, and the potential
for unintended consequences of
decisions.”
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