Government expands access to cancer therapy but holds short on pan-tumour listing

The Economist Impact report, supported by Sanofi, argues that respiratory health, particularly the prevention and management of influenza and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, should be treated as central to ageing policy.

“As the first therapy with a novel mechanism of action to be approved for CIDP patients in more than 30 years, this approval is an extremely important step towards addressing the unmet needs of patients with this debilitating condition and further signals argenx’s commitment to bring innovative therapeutic options to Australian patients,” said Kathryn Evans, Australia General Manager for argenx.

An open letter sent to Health Minister Mark Butler has called for his intervention to ensure funded access to continuous glucose monitors for Australians living with type 3c and other rare forms of diabetes.

The Juvenile Arthritis Foundation Australia is continuing its search for a new Chief Executive Officer to guide the organisation into its next phase of impact and growth.

A new report, developed early by Novartis, reveals how thousands of women are being drawn into a parallel struggle defined by mounting financial strain that arrives without warning or preparation.

A powerful patient story was overshadowed by a mindset that expects patients to simplify their needs and accept delays. Some proposed reforms risk entrenching these problems, while claims of having a 'world-class system' gaslight patients and seek to shut down scrutiny. This is about power. Institutions hold it, and patients are expected to adapt, which means they must continue to advocate for change.

More troubling still was the message delivered by one government representative at the event. Patients and advocates were told to narrow their demands. To be more realistic. To moderate their expectations. As if the problem is the patients’ ambition for change.

When Health Minister Mark Butler rose in Question Time yesterday to highlight progress on access to blood cancer therapies, his intent was to demonstrate that the system is working, delivering access to cutting-edge treatments through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Analyse the timelines.

The July 2026 meeting of the PBAC includes six submissions from companies seeking variations to previously considered or recommended listings, suggesting an increasingly challenging access environment for pharmaceutical companies.

The result is a paradox. Even before the HTA Review is formally concluded, announced, and implemented, the environment it was meant to reform has already worsened. Expectations that the review would stabilise or improve conditions now need to be recalibrated. The baseline has moved, and not in a favourable direction.

Medicines New Zealand says the government’s 2024 increase to the medicines budget has begun to ease long-standing pressure on the country’s pharmaceutical funding system, offering cautious optimism for patients seeking access to modern treatments.

Under the Malinauskas government’s plan, the number of pharmacists receiving subsidised training will double from 120 to 240, equipping more practitioners to assess and manage a range of everyday and chronic health conditions.

For countries like Australia moving toward association with Horizon Europe through a trade agreement, what might change? How should researchers and companies think about engaging with a program that is itself evolving?

The 2026-27 Budget process, identified as the implementation platform for the HTA Review, began around six months ago. Minister Mark Butler will have submitted his proposals in late January or early February, and they will be formally considered by Cabinet in late March or early April. What the Albanese government plans to implement on the HTA Review in this Budget is close to finalised, if not finalised.

The decision came just 54 days after the application was filed, marking one of the fastest approvals of its kind and the fourth granted under the Commissioner’s National Priority Voucher pilot program.

The Australian National Audit Office could undertake a performance audit examining the establishment and early implementation of the Australian Centre for Disease Control, which commenced as a statutory authority on 1 January 2026.

Melbourne-based Amplia Therapeutics, a company focused on developing targeted cancer therapies, has released updated data from its ongoing ACCENT clinical trial, and its share price more than doubled in response.

London-born retail executive Alex Palin has stepped into a key leadership role at National Pharmacies, marking an important moment for the organisation as it continues to evolve in an evolving healthcare landscape.