Pharmacy Daily | Price rises due to PBS

THE workings of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme is responsible for the March quarter surge in pharmaceutical prices as seen in the Australian Bureau of Statistics, according to Medicines Australia. “The fall of the pharmaceutical price index throughout the year to December 2009 quarter was largely due to patients reaching the PBS safety net and paying either a reduced co-payment in the case of general patients, or no co-payment in the case of concession card holders,” said Medicines Australia ceo Dr Brendan Shaw. According to Shaw, the apparent price rise for the Mar quarter was due to patients reaching the PBS safety net and paying either a reduced co-payment for medicines or no co-payment for concession card holders. Shaw responded to speculation which suggested the price rise was due to price hikes by manufacturers, saying “the apparent annual surge in pharmaceutical prices each March quarter is a product of Government policy rather than any changes in pharmaceutical company pricing policy”.

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