Amendments to PBAC listing recommendations process

Australia’s Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC), a statutory committee established under the National Health Act 1953, today announced changes to its listing recommendations process.

The PBAC is required by law to make recommendations to the Minister “as to the drugs and medicinal preparations which it considers should be made available as pharmaceutical benefits” on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) and to advise the Minister upon any other matter concerning the operation of the PBS referred to it by the Minister.

The PBAC receives secretariat and administrative support from the Department of Health (the Department). The Department supports a range of processes used by the PBAC to manage its business. A long-standing PBAC practice has been to re‑examine recommendations not accepted by applicants two and five years after making. This process generally saw PBAC note any unaccepted recommendations at two years and revoke unaccepted recommendations at five years.