Making #MedicinesMatter for all Australians
21 April 2022: Medicines Australia has launched a social media campaign to highlight key policy issues for the election campaign and to help educate all Australians about how rapid access to medicines is a core part of Australia’s world-class health system.
Medicines Australia will be releasing a new video and linked social media posts each week of the six-week Federal election campaign as a precursor to ongoing education and information about why medicines matter to the Australian population.
Medicines Australia CEO, Elizabeth de Somer, said the rapid rollout of vaccines and other health measures that have saved lives and protected lives throughout the COVID-19 pandemic have shown clearly that more people have a greater understanding of the importance of access to medicines when people need them most.
“A lot of health policy, especially medicines policy, is complex and hard to understand for people outside the industry,” Ms de Somer said.
“We are using the election campaign initially to roll out simple messages on social media to demystify some of the key policies that affect all Australians now and into the future.
“The new Government after 21 May will have major medicines policies to deal with from day one, including the National Medicines Policy (NMP), the Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Review, and the ongoing challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Our aim is to educate the public, the broader health sector, stakeholders, the media, and politicians about how vital it is for Australian patients to have faster access to new medicines and treatments.
“People need to know more about the PBS (Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme) and PBAC (Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee) processes in the same way they are informed about Medicare, hospitals, and primary care.
“They are all pillars of the health system.
“This knowledge will empower patients to ask questions about their treatments and make more informed choices.
“Medicines save lives and Australians deserve access to medicines that improve our quality of life and restore health. Medicines matter.”
The first video in the series, ‘Accessing Medicines’, was released last week and has been followed by this week’s new video ‘The Pillars of Good Health’.
More information about the Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Review is here.
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For further information or media interviews, please contact:
Chrystianna Moran – 0424 995 118 / chrystianna.moran@medicinesaustralia.com.au
John Flannery – 0419 494 761 / john.flannery@medicinesaustralia.com.au