Australia's generics firms also welcome Senate report on government administration of the PBS

Following the release of the Australia’s Senate Finance and Administration References Committee report on government administration of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PB recommending that the government withdraw its statement made in February 2011, the country’s Generic Medicines Industry Association (GMiA) has joined last week’s welcome of the action by the research-based trade group Medicines Australia, which condemned the federal Cabinet’s decision to defer the listing of new medicines on the PBS (The Pharma Letter August 18).

Opposition to this statement has been strongly expressed by the coalition, the Greens, consumers, health care professionals and the pharmaceutical industry alike.

The report, tabled in the Senate last week, strongly criticizes the government’s management of the PBS reflecting broad community concerns, said the GMiA. The inquiry received over 50 submissions calling on government to reverse its decision to indefinitely defer the listing of a number of new medicines on the PBS.