Category: Media release

The importance of intellectual property in future pandemic preparedness: MJA Letter to the Editor

7 November 2023: Medicines Australia CEO, Liz de Somer, has joined the General Director of the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA), Thomas Cueni, to refute calls for an intellectual property waiver on pharmaceuticals.

In response to an article published in the Medical Journal of Australia (2023; 219: 46-48), Mr Cueni and Ms de Somer penned a letter to the editor highlighting the critical role of the intellectual property (IP) framework in enabling companies to work together to develop vaccines during COVID.

“As we address the equity challenge, we must not lose sight of the innovation delivered in response to COVID‐19, with pharmaceutical companies producing billions of safe and effective vaccines and therapeutics at a speed very few thought possible,” they wrote.

“This was facilitated by a strong innovation ecosystem, which provides a framework to manage the risks and cost involved in pursuing new medicines and vaccines.”

“Of the 23 mRNA vaccines that went to clinical trials, only two were successful. The intellectual property (IP) framework is core to this ecosystem.”

Ms de Somer and Mr Cueni argue that rather than address the root causes of inequitable access, an IP waiver would undermine the very system that delivered billions of safe and effective vaccines and therapeutics against COVID‐19, and which will be central to our response to any future pandemics.

“Contrary to acting as a barrier to equitable roll out, IP enabled companies to partner on a voluntary basis. The latest data show that over two‐thirds of the 374 manufacturing and supply chain announcements for COVID‐19 vaccines have involved a collaboration — voluntary licensing partnerships, technology transfers and contract manufacturing agreements — between licensors and licensees, and of the 84 active voluntary licensing.”

“Instead, we must focus on the multilateral and regional policies needed, including regulatory harmonisation, supply chain and health care system strengthening, and the removal of trade barriers.”

The letter has been published this week in the latest edition of MJA. View article at https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.5694/mja2.52126

___________________________________________________________________________

Media enquiries to Kate McKeown, Senior Manager Communications and Media – kate.mckeown@medicinesaustralia.com.au or 0408 775 288.        

Australian Cancer Plan recognises crucial role of pharmaceutical, biotherapeutics and vaccine industry.

3 November 2023: Medicines Australia welcomes Australia’s landmark national Cancer Plan, which recognises the crucial role of the pharmaceutical, biotherapeutics and vaccine industry in the prevention, detection, management and treatment of cancers.

Medicines Australia CEO Liz de Somer said the six strategic objectives in the Plan reflect the priorities called for by stakeholders including industry and she welcomed the focus on prevention, early detection and treatment and increased workforce capability.

“Medicines Australia congratulates the Minister for Health and Aged Care, Department of Health and Cancer Australia on producing this landmark Plan that recognises holistic change and collaboration is needed to end the devastating impact of cancer on our society.”

“Over the last 40 years, the pharmaceutical industry has invested significantly in the research and development of innovative new vaccines, diagnostics and therapies,” Ms de Somer said.

“This perseverance has led to a new era where genomic testing and personalised medicine are now available and improving the prognosis and quality of life of many patients.

“The Plan recognises this but it also recognises that access to early diagnostic technology and treatment options through the PBS remains the biggest hurdle for too many Australians.

“This must be addressed through HTA reforms if Australia is to have a world class health system.”

Medicines Australia welcomes the commitment to a new policy framework for genomics in cancer control and the establishment of an Australian Comprehensive Cancer Network (ACCN) to share expertise and reduce access inequity.

“We agree with the identified need in the Plan for system-wide, cross-sector, inter-jurisdictional and national collaboration,” Ms de Somer said.

“The pharmaceutical industry will continue to work closely with patients, governments, universities and other stakeholders to advance our health system for the benefit of patients, and ensure everyone has access to the right vaccines, diagnostics and treatments when they are needed.”

---

Media enquiries to Kate McKeown, Senior Manager Communications and Media – kate.mckeown@medicinesaustralia.com.au or 0408 775 288.

Three new Directors and one re-elected Director have been appointed to the Medicines Australia Board at today’s Annual General Meeting.

Anne Harris (Pfizer) was re-elected for a second 3-year term. Gabi Mittas (Amgen), Dirk Otto (Boehringer Ingelheim) and Urs Voegeli (Janssen-Cilag) were elected to fill positions vacated by Stuart Knight (Roche) who is retiring, Ashraf Al-Ouf (Bayer) who has accepted a promotion and is relocating to Singapore and James McDonnell (Vifor) who stepped down from the Board in June 2023.

MA Chair, Dr Anna Lavelle AM, welcomed the new Directors and congratulated Anne on her re-appointment at the Medicines Australia AGM today, recognising their depth of industry experience and commitment to continuing to drive reforms.

“I am thrilled to welcome our new and re-elected Directors – Anne Harris, Gabi Mittas, Dirk Otto and Urs Voegeli – who each bring unique global perspectives combined with a deep understanding of the policy challenges and political landscape that Australia’s pharmaceutical industry is facing,” Dr Lavelle said.

“As we continue to build on momentum for reforms, there are strong foundations in place to address other pressing policy issues that ultimately affect patient access to medicines and vaccines. The harmonious leadership of our Board and ability to unite the industry on shared goals during this period is critical to our success.”

“The strong position that Medicines Australia is in today is thanks to vision and leadership of our current Board, and I thank you for your dedication and drive, and extend my deepest gratitude to outgoing Directors, Stuart Knight, Ashraf Al-Ouf, and James McDonnell who have made a significant contribution during their service.”

Stuart Knight has been on the Medicines Australia Board since October 2019 and served as Chair of the Performance, Nominations and Remuneration committee and on the Independent Health Technology Assessment Board subcommittee (iHTAC).

Ashraf Al-Ouf has been a Director since February 2022 and was a member of the Performance, Nominations and Remuneration Committee and Finance Risk and Audit Committee.

James McDonnell joined the Board in October 2019 and served as a Chair of the Finance, Risk and Audit Committee.

ENDS

Media enquiries to Kate McKeown, Senior Manager Communications and Media – kate.mckeown@medicinesaustralia.com.au or 0408 775 288.

Medicines Australia Chair, Dr Anna Lavelle, has been appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for her significant service to science and innovation.

Dr Lavelle was named in the King’s Birthday Honours Roll in June and attended the investiture held in Melbourne on Thursday 14 September.

Over the course of her career, Dr Lavelle has contributed significantly to Australia’s medicines, research and biotechnology industries. She has been a pioneer for women in these industries, holding executive and board positions and driving innovation for the benefit of society for more than 25 years.

“Dr Lavelle has been fearless leader throughout her career, combining her extensive understanding of Australia’s medicines and biotechnology policies with deep experience in medical research. Her unwavering commitment to improving patient outcomes and quality of life is resolute,” Medicines Australia CEO Liz de Somer said. 

“Medicines Australia is extremely fortunate to have Dr Lavelle as our Chair and on behalf of the pharmaceutical industry, we congratulate Dr Lavelle on this prestigious and most deserved achievement.”

Intergenerational report: Faster access to new medicines must be part of the solution

25 August 2023: The sixth Intergenerational Report released by Treasurer Dr Jim Chalmers highlights the need to modernise Australia’s healthcare system to sustainably meet Australia’s care and support needs into the future. 

In addition to the foreshadowed reforms to Medicare, aged care and NDIS, Australia needs a stronger PBS so that patients have faster access to modern medicines.  

“Reducing the burden of disease and improving quality of life for thousands of Australians will help to alleviate the forecast rise in hospital and MBS costs and productivity decline,” Medicines Australia CEO Liz de Somer said. 

“Over the coming decades, Australia faces a decline in productivity and increased pressure on the healthcare system driven by the realities of an ageing population and growing NDIS. This is not new information and now is the time for us as a nation to take a hold of this challenge together to drive higher levels of productivity,” Ms de Somer said.  

“Innovative medicines, vaccines and medical technologies will be a crucial part of the solution to keep people healthy, out of hospital and actively engaged in society for as long as possible.”    

“This will require our PBS to be fit for purpose to ensure Australians have access to new medicines as they become available, and to attract investment by the pharmaceutical industry into our market.” 

“Industry has done the heavy lifting needed to control PBS growth that was flagged in earlier IGRs as a concern. We have flat PBS growth and an ageing population.”  

“We need policy focus on our PBS and investment in strengthening faster access to new medicines today, to better position Australia for the next 40 years.”  

Medicines Australia and the pharmaceutical industry will continue to work with Government to strengthen the PBS and realise the productivity benefits of access to innovative medicines. 

ENDS 

___________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Media enquiries to Kate McKeown, Senior Manager Communications and Media – kate.mckeown@medicinesaustralia.com.au or 0408 775 288. 

Medicines Australia welcomes new members

7 August 2023: Two new members have joined Medicines Australia following approval by the Medicines Australia board at its August meeting – Kyowa Kirin and MedWise Consulting.

Kyowa Kirin is a Japan-owned pharmaceutical company specialising in antibody technologies in therapeutic areas of oncology, nephrology, central nervous system and immunotherapy.    

MedWise is an Australian company that specialises in industry leading consulting services in medical affairs, medical communications and patient engagement. 

Medicines Australia CEO Liz de Somer, welcomed the companies’ commitment to participating in Australia’s pharmaceutical industry and policy environment. 

“Medicines Australia plays an essential role in driving policy outcomes to ensure Australians have universal, affordable and fast access to treatments that keep pace with advancements in medicines,” Ms de Somer said.

“We rely on the participation of our members to help keep the Government and the community up-to-date with scientific advancements so that policy decisions are informed by our members who are at the frontline of research and development.”  

“The addition of new members that specialise in innovative biopharmaceuticals will strengthen our advocacy for the benefit of the broader industry and most importantly, patients.”  

Simon Dawson, Kyowa Kirin’s General Manager – Australia, said the company looks forward to working closely with Medicines Australia and industry peers. 

“As Kyowa Kirin prepares to celebrate four years of operation in Australia, we are excited to join Medicines Australia as the industry body for the innovative biopharmaceutical sector.

“As our business grows and evolves, we remain focused on cutting-edge science to deliver novel medicines with life-changing value for Australians living with rare diseases and other unmet medical needs.”

Matt Britland, MedWise Managing Director, said being a member of Medicines Australia will enable MedWise to contribute to the broader ecosystem and ultimately improve patient outcomes.

“MedWise Consulting is proud to join Medicines Australia. We have joined to contribute to the broader ecosystem which we need to better patient outcomes. We firmly believe that by doing so, we can enhance patient outcomes, optimise the quality use of medical innovations, and ultimately improve lives.”

ENDS

__________________________________________________________________________________

Media enquiries to Kate McKeown, Senior Manager Communications and Media – kate.mckeown@medicinesaustralia.com.au or 0408 775 288.

Time to ‘seize the day’ on PBS reform to realise economic and social goals

A new analysis commissioned by Medicines Australia stresses the urgent need for Australia to embrace a ‘once-in-a-generation’ opportunity to reform the 75-year-old Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) in parallel with Medicare, so Australians can access the latest treatments as quickly as people in other countries.

“The data reinforces that Australia is failing to provide timely and fair access to many advanced medical options from an antiquated system that is not powered to respond quickly to innovation,” said Liz de Somer, CEO, Medicines Australia.

“We rank well behind comparable OECD nations in getting approved new medicines out to people, which means not only that patients are not getting the best outcomes, but that significant social and economic benefits are lost. The Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Review now underway must result in an adaptable model equipped to deal with the pace of change.”

‘Funding Innovative Medicines’, prepared by Biointelect and Shawview Consulting, lays bare the crisis, showing Australia is at a crossroads where the changing health needs of the population will not be met if it continues to rely on the restrictive, dated methods that currently constrain the HTA system and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).

“Recent comments by the Minister for Health and the Shadow Minister for Health show there is heightened political will to modernise the Australian healthcare delivery system, and the HTA Review provides critical impetus to initiate bold reform to serve current and future generations of Australians,” said Ms de Somer.

The report reveals concerning disparities in Australia’s performance on medicines access compared with other OECD nations that employ more flexible, contemporary approaches to both assessment of value and funding of new medicines, and identifies many historic barriers holding Australia back:

A stark reality

• 1. Fewer than half (44%) of new molecular entities (NMEs) registered in Australia between 2016-2021 went on to be reimbursed here, compared with 96% in Japan, 84% in Germany, 80% in the UK and 62% in France.1 In real numbers, Australia had just 74 NMEs reimbursed, less than half that in Germany (165), Japan (154) and the UK (151) (1)
• 2. Australia takes, on average, three to four times longer than the UK, Canada, France or Germany to reimburse a new medicine.1 It is in 12th place for reimbursement timings at 413 days to fund an NME post registration – 303 days longer than Japan, 275 days longer than Germany and 215 days longer than the UK (1)
• 3. The Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) is more likely to reject applications for listing outright than other HTA agencies, earning Australia a reputation as one of the hardest countries in the world for patients to secure affordable access to the full scope of new medicines (1)
• 4. While structural and pricing measures have stabilised PBS expenditure since the rapid growth of the late 1990s, investment in the PBS has fallen as a percentage of total Australian Government healthcare expenditure over the last decade and is projected to shrink further over the next 10 years, as spending elsewhere in the system escalates (2)
• 5. Projections do not allow for breakthrough therapies in areas of high need, precision medicines such as stem and gene-cell therapies, for the chronic health needs of an ageing population, and much more.

The PBS must adapt AND grow

Strong healthcare is viewed by the strongest nations as an investment for future wellbeing and productivity, with metrics of wellbeing and social progress now operationalised in many comparable countries. The more governments facilitate and expedite affordable citizens’ access to new therapies, the better their return on investment in significant ongoing savings from avoided future healthcare costs and by supporting a productive population.

“There is much to be learned from comparable countries currently doing a better job in delivering new medicines to their people faster than we can. If we truly aspire to provide high quality healthcare to Australians, where new medicines promptly funded for people living with chronic or life-threatening illnesses, we must develop and invest in adaptive systems designed expressly to encourage access to advances and innovation,” Ms de Somer continued. “There are multiple methods outlined in the report – we must be asking, ‘Why can’t we do something like that here?’

“The HTA Policy and Methods Review has opened a once-in-a-generation window to reshape how we value and assess the latest medicines for Australians into one that is fit for the 21st Century, not one inherited from a previous generation with very different health needs,” said Ms de Somer.

Within the HTA system, historic discrepancies in the way medicines are valued and the relative costs are assessed – such as assigning varying quality adjusted life year (QALY) values in different government departments, and excluding broader community and economic benefits, are central problems that must be addressed.

“Medicines and vaccines are an investment in the wellbeing of Australians; while an extreme example, Covid-19 vaccines had a positive impact on the Australian economy to the tune of $181.2B,”3 said Katrina Lapham, Director, Strategic Market Access and Policy, Biointelect. “Our report highlights a potential underinvestment in the PBS and the National Immunisation Program over the last two decades, as other areas of health spending have expanded.

“Other countries have adopted policies that aim to speed up access to truly innovative therapies, without threatening financial sustainability. In Australia, we are at an important inflection point and, in the HTA review, have a unique opportunity to redesign our HTA system into one that is truly world-class and that will facilitate the adoption of the incredible medical advances the future holds.”

To achieve the Government’s ambition of transforming the 39-year-old Medicare system requires a similar reform to strengthen the even older PBS, said Liz de Somer. “We have a rare opportunity to be visionary here and we urge all stakeholders to make submissions throughout the consultation process to safeguard access to medical advances for future generations,” she said.

Issued on behalf of Medicines Australia by Cube. For more information contact: Anne-Marie Sparrow, 0417 421 560/anne-marie@cube.com.au.

Please note featured commentary is attributable to Liz de Somer as CEO of Medicines Australia, the peak body for the research-based pharmaceutical industry, and not as a member of the HTA Review Reference Committee.

Note for editors

PBS origins

The first Commonwealth scheme to provide reimbursed medicines was set up for WW1 and Boer War veterans in 1919, with a wider remit of eligible groups and medicines a later vision of the Curtin government. To achieve a more universal system, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Act was introduced in 1944, but it did not pass until 1947 following High Court challenges and strong resistance. (2)

Significant further amendments are credited to the Menzies government, which aims to ensure the PBS made ‘life saving and life improving drugs affordable for ordinary Australians.’ (3,4) Successive governments from across the political divide have recognised the critical role of the PBS as a fundamental pillar of universal healthcare, a policy that Australians continue to deeply value.

Download the full report: Funding Innovative Medicines June 2023

Health Technology Assessment Policy and Methods Review

Planned consultation for the HTA Review includes several opportunities for stakeholders to get involved at different phases through a variety of methods to ensure accessibility for the diverse needs and preferences of stakeholders. There are two consultation periods separated by a series of deep dives across the year, with the final recommendations to Government due in December.

For further details on how to get involved, email HTAReviewConsult@health.gov.au or visit the consultation hub.

References

1. 1. Funding Innovative Medicines, Biointelect and Shawview Consulting, June 2023
2. 2. https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/rp/BudgetReview202223/HealthOverview. Accessed June 2023
3. 3. Fox, N.; Adams, P.; Grainger, D.; Herz, J.; Austin, C. ‘The Value of Vaccines: A Tale of Two Parts.’ Vaccines 2022, 10, 2057
4. 4. How the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme began | The Medical Journal of Australia (mja.com.au). Accessed June 2023
5. 5. Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) | About the PBS. Accessed June 2023
6. 6. Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme — Robert Menzies Institute. Accessed June 2023

Federal Budget: Government confirms commitment to build a 21st Century health system

9 May 2023: Medicines Australia commends the Federal Government for the significant investment in new health measures and reforms in the 2023 -24 Federal Budget totalling $27.9 billion. The Government’s $6.1 billion commitment to ensure Medicare is ‘fit for the 21^st Century’ to support the health of Australians is essential in these uncertain times.

“We appreciate there are many priorities for Government, and balancing inflation while seeking to buffer cost of living pressures, is challenging. The Medicare reforms are important, but also need to be reflected across our health system ‘holistically’ to ensure we are advancing and ‘cutting edge’. This includes innovative medicines,” states Liz de Somer, CEO Medicines Australia. 

Medicines Australia acknowledge the reforms to Medicare and notably the focus on primary healthcare are important to improving health delivery, after the extreme pressures of the pandemic. Securing greater access to primary care – including a tripling of the bulk billing incentives, reducing pressure on hospitals and supporting our hardworking healthcare professionals are all welcomed.  

“As the Minister for Health said, while Australians have changed significantly in the past 40 years, Medicare has not evolved since its introduction in 1984. Reinvigorating our health delivery framework is an important priority, but similarly, we must work now to ensure the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) – now 75 years old – receives due care and attention to ensure it doesn’t fall even further behind,” adds Ms de Somer.

Medicines Australia also welcomes new funding for the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) to deliver measures in public health worth $61 million over four years. This represents an important start and we encourage further support for the TGA as the Government implement ongoing health reform over the coming years.

The Federal Budget however, confirms the PBS continues to stagnate compared to substantial projected growth in Medicare, Hospital Funding to the States and the NDIS.

Health Area	2022-2023	2023-2024
PBS	$19.6 billion	$19.1 billion
Medicare	$36.9 billion	$39.3 billion
NDIS	$36 billion	$41.9 billion
State Hospital Funding	$25.6 billion	$28.4 billion

“These flat projections raise significant questions on how our PBS can keep up with the innovative leaps and scientific breakthroughs now arriving – for those facing life threatening acute illness, or managing ongoing chronic health conditions,” states Ms de Somer.

“A strong Medicare needs a strong PBS. Parallel investment that advances healthcare delivery, alongside the harnessing of innovative medicines, is essential. Working together this will build a modern system truly ‘fit for the 21^st Century’ – bringing maximum gain for our community and the economy,” she adds.

“Medicare and the PBS must evolve together, and the Government’s first major Health Technology Assessment (HTA) review in 30 years provides a critical opportunity to achieve long overdue PBS reform. Making our HTA ‘fit for the future’, to sit alongside Medicare, must now be our collaborative goal,” states Ms de Somer.

Medicines Australia is disappointed with the decision not to progress the Patent Box, but look forward to working with the Government on future measures that will encourage industry growth and investment in Research & Development. 

We will carefully review the details of the Budget over the coming days to assess the full implications in health and for industry, to ensure consequences from other announcements are considered fully and assessed.

For further information please contact Anne-Marie Sparrow on 0417 421 560.

Twelve recognised for outstanding results in Medicine Australia’s Continuing Education Program

26 April 2023: Medicines Australia congratulates twelve individuals, from the pharmaceutical and health sector, for receiving Medicines Australia’s Continuing Education Program (CEP) Awards, which recognise their outstanding results and in depth understanding of the industry gathered during the 2022 course.

Now in their 26^th year, the prestigious CEP Awards includes three categories that recognise academic excellence and results achieved during the online course. The CEP educates pharmaceutical company representatives, and those working in industry, to a very high ethical standard so they can provide healthcare professionals with accurate, balanced information to support the quality use of medicines.

The 2022 awards recipients are:-

• University of Tasmania (UTAS) Excellence Award:  Matthew Nicolaides (Seqirus), and Ahmed Fouad (Galderma) for being high achieving, committed, dedicated and personally engaged throughout Semesters 1 and 2 respectively.
• The Code of Conduct Award: Matthew Nicolaides (Seqirus)whoachieved the highest mark for Program 1 (The Medicines Australia Code of Conduct)
• The CEP Achievement Award: The following 10 students received this Award for achieving the 10 highest aggregate marks for the majority of the core programs:

Ameeta Nelson	Biogen
Simon Kiker	AbbVie
Joanne Catubay	DKSH
Nicholas Smith	Boehringer Ingelheim
Theresa Wade	WriteSource Medical
Benjamin McVean	Pfizer
Nicky Schmidt	Novartis Pharmaceuticals
Nadia Lokananta	Eli Lilly
Dinesh Sukhavasi	Boehringer Ingelheim
Charlotte Cook	Norgine

“We have been extremely impressed with the level of participation and outstanding results achieved in the 2022 CEP course,” said Elizabeth de Somer, Medicines Australia CEO. “This is an intensive, in-depth course delivered by our partners, the University of Tasmania, and we wish to extend our congratulations to all the award recipients – and also those who successfully completed the program last year.

“It’s wonderful to see the industry’s continued dedication to educating and assisting medical representatives, who serve as crucial liaisons between healthcare professionals and pharmaceutical companies. The collective expertise from this program will prove valuable to both companies and the wider healthcare system,” added Ms de Somer.

Joanne Catubay, a CEP Achievement Award winner from DKSH said, “Medicine Australia’s CEP has helped me evolve from being just a target-oriented medical sales representative, to becoming a more conscientious, ethical and patient-oriented part of the bigger Australian health system. I am grateful not only for the recognition but more importantly for the valuable learning.”

Benjamin McVean, another CEP Achievement Award winner from Pfizer added “The Medicines Australia CEP helped me understand the complex industry and what is expected to be able to provide the right support to healthcare practitioners and thereby their patients.”

The CEP Program is offered online through the University of Tasmania, with 2023 Semester One enrolments closing this week on 28 April 2023. Awards for the 2023 CEP Program will be announced in early 2024.

More on the CEP program is on the Medicines Australia website, along with information about the Award specifics.

A video that features some of the Award winners is available here. Photos of some of the Award Winners can also be downloaded here.

-ENDS-

For further information, please contact:

Anne-Marie Sparrow on 0417 421 560/anne-marie@cube.com.au 

ABOUT THE CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAM (CEP)

Medicines Australia’s Continuing Education Program (CEP) is designed to educate medical representatives to a recognised industry standard.

The CEP is primarily directed at medical representatives working within the prescription medicines industry but is also recommended to people who may not be currently employed within the industry but would like to pursue a career as a medical representative. It is also available to personnel working for organisations interacting with the pharmaceutical industry.

The CEP contains six core programs, designed to guide medical representatives through the information, knowledge and skills required in the performance of their professional duties. More information is available on the Medicines Australia website.

Medicines Australia extend sincere thanks to Professor Brendan Murphy

13 April 2023: Medicines Australia extend our sincere thanks and acknowledgement to Professor Brendan Murphy AC for his leadership and significant contribution to the health of Australians.

As Secretary of the Department of Health, and prior to this as Chief Medical Officer for the Australian Government, Professor Murphy helped the country navigate through the most challenging health dynamics of the modern era. His unwavering commitment and strength in leadership not only ensured Australia followed a clear and considered path through COVID-19 but also supported the nation’s strong recovery.

“The unchartered waters of this pandemic era required leaders with significant knowledge and skill – but also the ability to assess rapidly evolving situations and move quickly with decision making.  Professor Murphy was exemplary in his leadership – dedicating himself to the health emergency and giving Australians a calm and reassuring presence each and every day,” states Liz de Somer, CEO Medicines Australia.

“Professor Murphy should also be congratulated for his outstanding medical career from practicing clinician to the head of leading organisations. Professor Murphy has long held an interest in important public health issues, such as the surge of antimicrobial resistance, and I am sure that even in his retirement he will continue to take an active interest in public health policy,” she added.

-ENDS-

For further information or media interviews, please contact:

Anne-Marie Sparrow on 0417 421 560/anne-marie@cube.com.au