Medicines Australia has welcomed the Greens’ commitments on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme outlined in their health policy.

“I congratulate the Greens for their commitments on the predictability, independence and timeliness of the PBS processes”, said Medicines Australia chief executive Dr Brendan Shaw.

“Over the last few years the industry has been increasingly frustrated by a number of PBS processes, so the Greens’ commitments to support things like predictability in the process for listing new medicines, preserving the independence of the PBAC and getting new medicines listed in a timely manner are especially welcome.

“We’re also encouraged by the Greens’ support for PBS post-market reviews to be conducted at arm’s length from government and for ensuring these reviews are focussed on securing good health outcomes for patients.

“There are a number of major process and policy issues around PBS post-market reviews that have yet to be resolved, so the Greens’ support for ensuring good practice and correct focus in these is welcome.”

Medicines Australia’s 2013 election document calls on political parties to:

• Reaffirm commitment to the National Medicines Policy
• List promptly on the PBS all medicines recommended by the PBAC
• Work with industry to ensure a fair, predictable and stable business environment
• Improve PBS processes
• Uphold and strengthen Australia’s intellectual property system: and
• Commit to industry policies that keep the medicines industry investing in Australia.

Medicines Australia’s election document can be found here

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Contact Person:

Alex Chapman
Phone: (02) 8281 3204
Email: alex@ogilvyprhealth.com

Medicines Australia has welcomed the Government’s plan to boost biopharmaceutical innovation.

“It is great to see the Government making investments in manufacturing”, said Medicines Australia chief executive Dr Brendan Shaw.

“The Government’s announcement highlights the importance of partnership between government and the private sector to boost Australia’s international competitiveness and attract investment from overseas.”

“It is fantastic that three of Australia’s major pharmaceutical companies, GSK, AstraZeneca and CSL will be part of this project together with Monash University.

“Coming the same week as the Government’s substantial response to the McKeon review of medical research, it helps strengthen the case for Australia being a destination for global investment in the medicines industry.

“We have a real opportunity to build on Australia’s medicines industry and drive further collaboration between the industry and the public research sector.

“At a time when the global industry is actively looking for partnership opportunities to develop new medicines and vaccines, the Government’s announcements this week are very encouraging.

“Australia has always been great at inventing new medicines and vaccines, given our track record in medical research, and the challenge now is to build more commercial successes on the back of that.

“There’s some great stories of Australian ingenuity being commercially developed into successful medicines and vaccines for things like cervical cancer, influenza, skin cancer, pain management and stomach cramps. We just want to do more of this.

“Australia already earns more money exporting medicines than it does from exporting cars or wine, as well as being one of Australia’s great investors in R&D, and we want to build on that.”

The Australian medicines industry exports $4 billion a year and invests $1 billion a year in R&D.

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Contact Person:

Alex Chapman
Phone: (02) 8281 3204
Email: alex@ogilvyprhealth.com

Medicines Australia today welcomed the Coalition’s commitment to restore transparency, predictability and confidence to the process by which medicines are listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).

“A predictable, transparent and collaborative environment is critical to the future of the medicines industry in Australia”, said Medicines Australia Chief Executive Dr Brendan Shaw.

“Medicines Australia has been calling for years for the restoration of confidence in the independence and integrity of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) that is why we are backing today’s announcement.

Submissions of new medicines are receiving multiple rejections and delays, industry frustration is high, and the number of new molecules being listed is at 20 year lows.

“Medicines Australia particularly welcomes giving the Health Minister authority to list medicines that do not cost more than $20 million in their first four years. This measure has the potential to significantly streamline the listing process,” Dr Shaw said.

“It is vitally important that Australian patients can have confidence that they will continue to be able to access the latest scientific breakthroughs.

“Measures to accelerate clinical trial reform are also very welcome and have the potential to make tangible benefits to patients”.

As Medicines Australia outlined in its election priorities there is much to do including:

• Urgently sitting down and examining the unintended consequences of the August 2 price disclosure changes with affected stakeholders
• Applying procedural fairness, effective stakeholder consultation and consistent management to PBS post-market reviews
• Drive savings in the off-patent F2 market with pricing based on market competition and invest those savings into the on patent F1 market for new medicines
• Ensuring that the PBS is fit for purpose for the next generation of highly targeted medicines and an ageing population

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Contact Person:

Alex Chapman
Phone: (02) 8281 3204
Email: alex@ogilvyprhealth.com

Medicines Australia has welcomed the Coalitions commitment to boosting manufacturing in Australia.

“The medicines industry welcomes any moves to reduce red-tape and boost exports and is ready to work with the Coalition to streamline regulation of our sector”, said Medicines Australia Chief Executive Brendan Shaw.

“As a knowledge based industry with over $4 billion in exports annually the medicines industry is well placed to contribute to Australian manufacturing into the future”.

“As we noted in our Election Priorities the strength of the Australian economy together with mountains of unharmonised and inefficient regulations makes it difficult for Australia to match it with global competitors”.

“However, Medicines Australia has been supportive of the R&D tax credit as a policy that has attracted investment to Australia and cautions that any changes to the policy must be carefully weighed to ensure they don’t discourage investment”.

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Contact Person:

Alex Chapman
Phone: (02) 8281 3204
Email: alex@ogilvyprhealth.com

Today’s trade figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics again show that Australia earns almost $4 billion a year from exporting medicines.

“Australia earns more money exporting medicines than that is does from exporting cars, wine or scientific instruments,” said Medicines Australia Chief Executive Dr Brendan Shaw.

“Predictable policy changes are important for the industry’s future. That’s why last Friday’s sudden announcement in the Government’s Economic Statement of changes to Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme price disclosure policy without consultation was extremely disappointing.”

While medicines exports held up well in the face of a high Australian dollar over the last five years, Australia’s annual medicines exports have fallen back to $3.9 billion in 2012 13 from their peak of $4.1 billion in 2009-10.

“While there’s been lots of debate about Australian industries and their future, we have a real opportunity to make the Australian medicines industry a key component of preparing the Australian economy for a post-mining boom future,” Dr Shaw said.

“Australia already has competitive advantages in things like medical research, exports, clinical trials and specialist high-value manufacturing. We have a real chance to build on this industry and make it one of Australia’s leading industries of the future.

“We can grow this industry even more from what it is today, provided we have predictable, stable policy settings that support the Australian industry.

“That means predictable pricing policies for the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and improving its processes for approving innovative medicines, as well as a re commitment to the National Medicines Policy which recognises the link between commercial viability and medicine supply.

“It also means stable and strong intellectual property policies that support innovation and policies to grow the Australian medicines industry and its research.

“A predictable policy framework that encourages the industry to supply medicines in a timely manner and build Australia’s economic competitiveness is important to Australia’s future.

Medicines Australia’s election document highlights six commitments and calls on all political parties to support these.

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Contact Person:

Alex Chapman
Phone: (02) 8281 3204
Email: alex@ogilvyprhealth.com

Medicines Australia is extremely disappointed with the Government’s decision today to make further cuts to the PBS.

“The fact that the Government’s announcement today was made without any consultation with industry is particularly disappointing,” said Dr Brendan Shaw, Medicines Australia Chief Executive.

“This industry has collaborated effectively with governments on PBS savings and improvements since the 2007 PBS reforms and is one of Australia’s leading innovative industries, so for it not to be consulted on the changes flagged in today’s statement is, frankly, extraordinary.

“Today’s announcement undermines the collaborative work that was achieved between Government and industry in the 2010 Memorandum of Understanding.

“These measures come at a time when independent analysis shows PBS listings of new medicines are at an all-time low and that the PBS is growing at historically low growth rates.

“It is absolutely clear now that the key PBS policy issue for the future is to ensure that new therapies are listed on the PBS in a timely manner.

“For this policy change to be announced without consultation is a disappointing signal to one of Australia’s leading innovation and export industries”.

“Previous price disclosure arrangements agreed by industry have been delivering savings to the Government leading to a series of downward revisions of PBS spending estimates since their introduction.

“Price disclosure arrangements have always been subject to extensive consultation between Government and industry to ensure that a viable industry is maintained and patient’s access to medicines is not compromised,” Dr Shaw said.

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Contact Person:

Emma Pearson
Phone: (02) 8281 3280
Email: emma@ogilvyprhealth.com

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Medicines Australia today welcomed the Prime Minister’s new Ministerial and Cabinet appointments.

“We’re pleased that the Hon Tanya Plibersek MP has retained the Health portfolio,” said Medicines Australia Chief Executive, Dr Brendan Shaw.

“The addition of Medical Research to Ms Plibersek’s responsibilities is also particularly welcome and reflects her ongoing personal interest in this important area.

“On the back of the McKeon Review of Health and Medical Research, the recognition of medical research at the Cabinet level is encouraging.

“We congratulate Senator the Hon Jacinta Collins on her appointment as Minister for Mental Health and Ageing and look forward to working with her in the future.

“We are also encouraged with the appointment of Senator the Hon Kim Carr to the Industry, Innovation, Science and Research portfolio.

“The industry worked well with Senator Carr in his previous stint as Industry Minister on issues like the Pharmaceutical Industry Strategy Group, patents, the Raising the Bar Bill, clinical trials and the R&D tax credit.

“We congratulate him on his appointment and look forward to working with him again on building the future for the Australian medicines industry.

“We also welcome the Hon Richard Marles MP to the Trade portfolio and look forward to working with him on continuing to build the medicines industry’s export and trade performance.

“The Prime Minister’s focus on diversifying the economy by developing manufacturing and innovation in his announcement of his ministerial appointments is to be congratulated.

“The Australian medicines industry represents a real opportunity for the country to build on its competitive advantages in innovation, medical research and exporting to continue to build the industry and support Australia’s post-mining boom future.

“The Australian medicines industry employs over 13,000 people in high-skilled jobs, exports over $4 billion a year – more than the car or wine industries, invests $1 billion a year in R&D, brings new medicines and vaccines to the community, collaborates extensively with Australia’s public research sector and has a low carbon footprint.

“We have a real opportunity to build on this and grow the industry for the future health of Australians and the Australian economy.”

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Contact Person:

Emma Pearson
Phone: (02) 8281 3280
Email: emma@ogilvyprhealth.com

Medicines Australia today welcomed the announcement of a number of new medicines and new indications for existing medicines to be listed on the PBS.

“This is a welcome reminder that the reforms and the agreement negotiated with Government in 2010 are working,” said Medicines Australia Chief Executive Dr Brendan Shaw.

“Without the significant billions of dollars in savings generated through the price disclosure and other reforms measures over the last few years it would have been more difficult to list these medicines.

“We know that the PBS policies agreed between the Commonwealth and Medicines Australia over the last decade will deliver up to $18 billion in savings.

“These savings provide the financial headroom for the Government to list new medicines in the future and keep the PBS sustainable.

“We are pleased that patients do not have to wait any longer for these lifesaving and life improving medicines to reach those who need them, and they are no longer denied access to affordable treatments brought through the innovation of the pharmaceutical industry.

“It is another example of how working together with Government achieves tangible positive outcomes for all concerned.

“There are obviously a range of issues that need to be addressed in the coming years, but history shows that where governments have worked collaboratively with the industry to develop solutions it has delivered the right outcome for the community.”

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Contact Person:

Emma Pearson
Phone: (02) 8281 3280
Email: emma@ogilvyprhealth.com

Medicines Australia today takes the next step on the journey to greater transparency with the release of the first report of Advisory Board meetings held in the first quarter of 2013. The release of this report coincides with the twelfth round of educational event reporting.

“The new provisions in Edition 17 of the Code are a major step towards greater transparency, providing greater confidence that interactions between healthcare professionals and companies are appropriate,” Medicines Australia Chief Executive, Dr Brendan Shaw said.

“The first of these new initiatives, Advisory Board reports, is another step in the journey to greater transparency. There will be further reports on expenditure on healthcare professional consultants and support for health consumer organisations due in early 2014,” he said.

Advisory boards perform an important function in protecting patient health by providing essential advice to pharmaceutical companies on their product or group of products. Advisory Boards generally consist of healthcare professionals, but can also include consumer representatives. An Advisory Board for a given Product may be conducted for a number of years and the membership of the Board may vary over time. The reports released today capture only the payments made to healthcare professional Advisory Board members.

“The new reporting provisions are part of the new 17th edition of the Code introduced at the beginning of the year.

“Industry is committed to greater transparency and welcomes the release of the Transparency Working Group’s paper – Transparency Model Consultation and Discussion Paper on 21 June.”

The reports can be accessed here

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Contact Person:

Emma Pearson
Phone: (02) 8281 3280
Email: emma@ogilvyprhealth.com