Medicines Australia congratulates two of its member companies, Janssen and Shire, who have won accreditation in the 2012 Aon Hewitt Best Employers in Australia and New Zealand Accreditation Program.

Jansen and Shire were among only 14 companies to be accredited in the annual program which is open to companies from all over Australia and New Zealand.

Medicines Australia chief executive Dr Brendan Shaw said the recognition of the two companies underscored the credentials of the Australian medicines industry as a great place to work.

“The fact that two members of the Australian medicines industry have been accredited by the Aon Hewitt Best Employers program, and judged to be among the best 13 companies on the continent in that respect speaks volumes for our industry,” Dr Shaw said.

“There are undoubted commercial advantages in encouraging a strong and positive workplace culture and providing employees with an attractive and appealing working environment, and the Australian medicines industry has a great tradition in this regard.

“These nominations are testament to the Australian medicines industry as a great place to work, and an industry that values its employees.

“The 14,000 people who work in this industry are ordinary Australians doing extraordinary things, making the medicines and vaccines that save lives, reduce pain and prevent disease.

“It is because the Australian medicines industry is such an engaging and rewarding place to work that we can continue to attract brilliant people to conduct this vital work.

“I congratulate both companies on their accreditation as part of this prestigious awards program.”

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Contact Person:

Jamie Nicholson
Media Communications Manager
Phone: 0419 220 293
Email: Jamie.Nicholson@medicinesaustralia.com.au

Medicines Australia chief executive Dr Brendan Shaw will again brave the depths of Canberra’s perishing winter, sleeping in a cardboard box to raise money in support of homeless Australians.

Dr Shaw will be participating in the St Vincent de Paul CEO Sleepout on 21 June, outside the National Gallery of Australia. The Sleepout is conducted at centres around Australia.

“It’s a great thing to do for a good cause,” Dr Shaw said.

“With Canberra’s overnight minimums already reaching minus four degrees, I initially had some trepidation about sleeping out in the middle of a Canberra winter.

“But it occurred to me that for many people there isn’t a choice about whether or not to sleep out, they just have to.

“We need to do all we can as a community to help homeless people get off the street and into proper accommodation.

“Clearly there’s more we can do to support the homeless and perhaps end homelessness, so I’m really delighted to be helping out in is way.

“We need to be much more aware of the plight of homeless Australians. I hope that the CEO Sleepout will help give this serious social issue the attention it deserves.

“There are a whole lot of issues that homeless Australians have to confront every night which very often we don’t even think about. The CEO Sleepout gives participants a much better insight into some of those issues.

“Hopefully I can raise enough money to help make a difference and give me some solace through the night.”

Dr Shaw is also blogging on his training regime in the lead-up to 21 June.

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Contact Person:

Jamie Nicholson
Media Communications Manager
Phone: 0419 220 293
Email: Jamie.Nicholson@medicinesaustralia.com.au

Medicines Australia today launched a new booklet which sets out the medicines industry’s role in encouraging the quality use of medicines.

‘Quality Use of Medicines’ is the term to describe choosing a suitable medicine, using medicines safely and effectively to get the best possible results and selecting management options wisely.

Medicines Australia chief executive Dr Brendan Shaw said: “I am particularly proud of this publication.

“The Australian medicines industry has for many years undertaken various activities to promote the quality use of medicines as part of its standard business model.

“But until today, there has been a need to do more to explain what we do in a quality use of medicines framework.

“This new guide explains in simple, consumer-friendly language, how the sort of activities medicines companies undertake as part of their business contribute to the ultimate goal of ensuring the right patient gets the right medicine at the right time.

“Those activities include clinical trials, post-marketing surveillance and adverse event reporting.

“The booklet helps explain clearly how the industry works with other participants in the health sector, such as government, health professionals, patient groups and the community, to promote the quality use of medicines.”

Medicines Australia has also provided its member companies with an online guide to the principles of quality use of medicines for the industry, examples of industry activities that contribute to quality use of medicines and best practice examples with particular medicines and activities.

“It’s another way that the industry is working together to support one of the four pillars of the National Medicines Policy,” Dr Shaw said.

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Contact Person:

Jamie Nicholson
Media Communications Manager
Phone: 0419 220 293
Email: Jamie.Nicholson@medicinesaustralia.com.au

A new international report on the global competitiveness of 14 countries has ranked Australia the second least competitive as a market for clinical trial investment. The 2012 KPMG Competitive Alternatives report shows that of the 14 countries under review, only Japan is a more expensive country in which to invest in clinical trials.

The report shows Sydney ranks 111th out of 113 in the list of most expensive cities – more expensive than every city except Tokyo and Osaka. Brisbane ranks 110th, Melbourne 108th and Adelaide 103rd.

Speaking on International Clinical Trials Day, Medicines Australia chief executive Dr Brendan Shaw said the report represented a very negative scorecard of Australia’s global competitiveness as a location for clinical trial investment.

“It’s is not a great way to celebrate International Clinical Trials Day,” Dr Shaw said.

“This report shines a light on the huge amount of work we need to do to make Australia more competitive in our ability to attract clinical trials from overseas.

“It’s now more expensive to conduct a clinical trial in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane or Adelaide than London, Rome, Paris, Frankfurt, Moscow, Sao Paulo, and just about every other city named in the report. That’s just not good enough.

“There’s absolutely no doubt that when it comes to scientific and commercial capability in running clinical trials, Australia is among the best in the world.

“We have some of the world’s best medical scientists and best R&D infrastructure, and the industry is working with the Government to find ways of better capitalising on those advantages.

“But companies who want to invest in clinical trials in Australia are confronted with a slow, inefficient and cumbersome approval process. It is often cheaper and easier for them to run those trials elsewhere.

We urgently need a more streamlined system that makes it easier, quicker and cheaper for global companies to run clinical trials in Australia.

“Securing a commitment today from governments to start to change that would be a great way to mark International Clinical Trials Day.”

The 2012 KPMG Competitive Alternatives report is available at: http://www.competitivealternatives.com/reports/2012_compalt_report_vol1_en.pdf

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Contact Person:

Jamie Nicholson
Media Communications Manager
Phone: 0419 220 293
Email:

Medicines Australia supports an international report released this week that suggests new approaches to commercialising new treatments for neglected and tropical diseases.

Assembling the pharmaceutical R&D puzzle for needs in the developing world, which was commissioned by the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA), proposes several mechanisms for ensuring populations that need these treatments are able to access them.

The report finds that some mechanisms designed to encourage companies to commercialise medicine for neglected and tropical diseases, such as prizes or patent pools, may not be as effective as other collaborative mechanisms like open databases, grants, public-private partnerships and advanced market commitments

Medicines Australia chief executive Dr Brendan Shaw said combating neglected and tropical diseases remains a key priority for the global medicines industry.

“The fact that the global industry has commissioned a report like this shows how seriously it takes the issue,” Dr Shaw said.

“The report says that fundamentally the existing R&D model is effective, but needs to continue to adapt to changing social and economic circumstances.

“The real value of this report is that it explores in some detail the most effective ways of encouraging commercialisation of treatments for neglected and tropical diseases.

“Internationally the medicines industry is already increasing its research effort into neglected and tropical diseases at a faster rate than contributions from other sectors like governments and not-for-profit groups.

“We are eager to continue working with the broader community to ensure treatments for these diseases are available in developing countries.

“This industry is serious about finding collaborative solutions that drive the development of new medicines and vaccines for the developing world and ensure that people can ultimately benefit from these developments.”

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Contact Person:

Jamie Nicholson
Media Communications Manager
Phone: 0419 220 293
Email: Jamie.Nicholson@medicinesaustralia.com.au

Medicines Australia chief executive Dr Brendan Shaw tonight welcomed the Government’s recognition in the Budget that the Memorandum of Understanding with Medicines Australia is keeping the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme sustainable.

Dr Shaw said the Budget reflected the Government’s commitment to the MoU, which agrees to no further price related savings measures for the life of the agreement.

“The MoU is working well. It is delivering savings to taxpayers, savings to consumers and process improvements to the PBS,” Dr Shaw said

“The MoU is already well on the way to delivering a minimum of $1.9 billion in savings to the PBS.

“PBS spending growth is currently at historically low levels, so it’s clear that the MoU is working and it’s clear that the PBS is sustainable.

“The MoU provides a good framework for managing the PBS and shows cooperation between industry and the Australian Government.

“It also provides the Australian medicines industry with the business predictability that industry needs to be able to continue bringing new medicines to Australian patients and contributing to the national economy.

“The Australian medicines industry exports more than $3.7 billion of products and invests more than $1 billion in R&D annually. A predictable operating environment means the industry is better able to continue making that contribution.”

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Contact Person:

Jamie Nicholson
Media Communications Manager
Phone: 0419 220 293
Email: Jamie.Nicholson@medicinesaustralia.com.au

Medicines Australia chief executive Dr Brendan Shaw today welcomed the appointment of Dr John Skerritt as the new National Manager of the Therapeutic Goods Administration.

Dr Shaw said Medicines Australia looks forward to working with Dr Skerritt on a range of regulatory issues.

“Medicines Australia has established a productive relationship with the TGA and we are committed to continuing as a key partner in the implementation of the TGA reform agenda,” Dr Shaw said.

“Dr Skerritt is an extremely experienced and well regarded scientist who is well placed to lead the TGA’s ambitious and important program of business process reforms that are underway.

“There is still much important work to be undertaken, particularly with regard to the Blueprint for reform and the Australia New Zealand Therapeutic Products Agency.

“I look forward to engaging constructively with Dr Skerritt on these and other issues.”

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Contact Person:

Jamie Nicholson
Media Communications Manager
Phone: 0419 220 293
Email: Jamie.Nicholson@medicinesaustralia.com.au

The Board of Medicines Australia today announced the appointment of Mr Mark Masterson as its new chairman.

Mr Masterson was formerly chief executive at I-MED Network, Australia’s largest private diagnostic imaging network. This follows a 20 year career in international and Australian roles in the medicines industry as vice president, Asia Pacific Africa at Abbott and General Manager ANZ at Abbott Laboratories.

Mr Masterson said: “I am very excited to be joining the Medicines Australia Board as Chairman at a time of great opportunity and challenge for the medicines industry.

“This is a genuinely exciting time for the industry in Australia and I am looking forward to working with the board and with our member companies to ensure we can capitalise on some of those opportunities.”

“While the industry is facing many challenges here and internationally, fundamentally this is an industry that deserves greater recognition for the value it brings to society.

“I look forward to representing the industry in Australia as a way to promote the value that it contributes.

Medicines Australia chief executive Dr Brendan Shaw said Mr Masterson’s appointment was extremely positive for the medicines industry.

“Mark’s vast and varied experience in numerous senior roles globally in Australia will be enormously valuable to the board and membership of Medicines Australia,” Dr Shaw said.

“He will be a passionate advocate for the interests of our member companies.”

Mr Masterson succeeds Will Delaat, who retired as independent chairman of Medicines Australia after 14 years on the board and six as chairman.

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Contact Person:

Jamie Nicholson
Media Communications Manager
Phone: 0419 220 293
Email: Jamie.Nicholson@medicinesaustralia.com.au

Thirteen medicines on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, accounting for more than 200 brands, will take price cuts of between 11 and 77 per cent from 1 August as part of the ongoing price disclosure system agreed between Medicines Australia and the Government.

These new savings to the PBS were confirmed by the Australian Government today and are in addition to the $1.9 billion in PBS savings agreed in a Memorandum of Understanding between Medicines Australia and the Government.

The latest price cuts come on top of the 74 medicines that took price cuts on 1 April in what was the single largest round of price reductions in the history of the PBS.

The price of anti-nausea medicine ondansetron will be reduced by 77 per cent. Cancer treatment oxalyplatin will take a 51 per cent price cut.

Medicines Australia chief executive Dr Brendan Shaw said the latest price cuts were further evidence that reforms to the PBS agreed between the medicines industry and the Government were working as intended.

“Yet again we’re seeing price disclosure putting downward pressure on the price of medicines and containing PBS expenditure,” Dr Shaw said.

“We have historically low spending on the PBS at the moment. We’ve just had the most substantial round of price cuts in PBS history.

“There are further price cuts confirmed today and more to come in the future as more medicines go off-patent and become subject to price disclosure. We expect more savings to accrue to the Government in years to come.

“It is very clear that the long-term strategy to keep the PBS sustainable is working.

“What is also very clear is that there is absolutely no need for further PBS reform. By any measure the PBS is being well managed, spending is being contained and the program is sustainable.”

The 13 medicines taking price cuts today are: Amisulpride (18.27%); Bisoprolol (18.75%); Cefalotin (16.99%); Doxorubicin (32.97%); Escitalopram (36.76%); Levetiracetam (14.15%); Meloxicam (23.62%); Mitozantrone (18.25%); Ondansetron (77.25%); Oxaliplatin (51.76%); Oxybutinin (11.25%); Perindopril (11.59%); Prochlorperazine (25.55%).

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Contact Person:

Jamie Nicholson
Media Communications Manager
Phone: 0419 220 293
Email: Jamie.Nicholson@medicinesaustralia.com.au

The apparent surge in pharmaceutical prices included in today’s Consumer Price Index for the March quarter is easily explained by the mechanics of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme safety net, Medicines Australia chief executive Dr Brendan Shaw confirmed today.

“Today’s CPI pharmaceutical price should be considered in the context of the December 2011 CPI, when pharmaceutical prices fell 6% per cent,” Dr Shaw said.

“The fall of the pharmaceutical price index throughout the year to December 2011 quarter was largely due to patients reaching the PBS safety net threshold and paying either a reduced co-payment in the case of general patients, or no co-payment at all in the case of concession card holders.

“As each calendar year progresses, more people reach the PBS safety net threshold.

“On 1 January each year, the safety net is reset and consumers resume paying the normal PBS co-payments until they again reach the safety net threshold.

“That is why the pharmaceutical component of the index ALWAYS rises again in the first quarter of each calendar year.

“The apparent annual surge in pharmaceutical prices each March quarter is a product of Government policy rather than any change in pharmaceutical company pricing policy.

“In previous years this March quarter price surge has been incorrectly interpreted by some observers as a result of undue price rises by pharmaceutical companies.

“However, the apparent increase in consumer medicine prices in the first quarter of each year is due to the impact of Government policy related to PBS safety nets.

“What it shows is that the safety net is working.

“It’s also worth remembering that the March quarter figures don’t include the consumer impact of the major 1 April PBS price reductions resulting from the Memorandum of Understanding between Medicines Australia and the Federal Government.”

This explanation is provided by the Australian Bureau of Statistics itself in its own statistical release.

“Pharmaceutical prices mainly rose as a result of the cyclical reduction in the proportion of consumers who qualify for subsidised medications under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme at the start of each calendar year,” the ABS analysis said.

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Contact Person:

Jamie Nicholson
Media Communications Manager
Phone: 0419 220 293
Email: Jamie.Nicholson@medicinesaustralia.com.au