With great power, comes great responsibility

Australia’s PBS praised while government is called on to protect IP

A survey showed this week that Australians think the country’s Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme is a good use of taxes. Some 51% of Australian adults take a prescription medicine daily – equivalent to 9 million adult Australians – and 86% of these think the PBS is a good investment of taxpayer dollars. In an age when spending on medicines has never been more debated, the trade group Medicines Australia hailed this as a victory for the industry. The survey also highlighted concerns about delays in accessing new medication, with PBS listings crucial to allow access for most Australians.

Australian generics makers are also calling on the government to protect access to medicine in the face of the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA). The Australian trade group Generic Medicines Industry Association (GMiA) fears that the extension of Australia’s periods of intellectual property, which could come in under TPPA proposals, will significantly increase the cost of medicines. It says that Australia should join other countries - including New Zealand, Canada, Singapore, Chile and Malaysia – which have put forward a counter-proposal. The underlying message is that the cost of drugs is still important to both governments and patients. Trade groups like Medicines Australia and GMiA are not only speaking on behalf of their industries, but on behalf of patients who shouldn’t have to pay over the odds for much-needed medicines.