About the Medicines Australia Oncology Industry Taskforce

Recently, cancer patients, medical professionals caring for cancer patients, and the medicines industry have expressed concerns about the increasing challenges in gaining timely, affordable and equitable patient access to new cancer medicines via the PBS (e.g. Moser et al 2023, Ghinea et al 2021, Rare Cancers Australia 2024).

The Oncology Industry Taskforce is aware that stakeholders have voiced various concerns, including a reimbursement system that is not designed for review of newer therapies, differences in value perception of cancer medicines among stakeholders, stringent evidentiary requirements for reimbursement, and delays due to Federal Government fiscal measures. There is a clear demand for an informed public debate about accessing new medicines generally, and new cancer medicines in particular.

In response, several member companies of Medicines Australia formed the Oncology Industry Taskforce in late 2012. The companies involved are: AbbVie, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Bristol-Myers Squibb, GlaxoSmithKline, Janssen, Merck, MSD, Menarini, Novartis, Pfizer and Roche. This Taskforce is endorsed by Medicines Australia.

Specifically, these companies decided to form the Taskforce against the background of an increasingly difficult reimbursement environment in Australia in relation to cancer medicines:

• 56% of cancer medicines seeking reimbursement on cost-effectiveness grounds were rejected in 2024;
• As cancer medicines become more targeted, submissions relating to cancer medicines to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) are increasing in complexity; and
• There are ongoing signs that the Government is looking to continue containing spending for medicines.

The Taskforce is keen to work in collaboration with key stakeholders including government, health care professionals and societies, Cancer Australia, and consumer health organisations to improve access to cancer medicines for the benefit of patients. To begin the dialogue, a few years ago it commissioned Deloittes Access Economics to produce Access to Cancer Medicines in Australia.