Next year will be even tougher unless the downward trajectory can be halted

The facility, the largest of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere, is part of the company's $2 billion-plus capital investment currently underway in Australia.

Yesterday was another step forward in the renaissance of Australian biomedical manufacturing with the official opening CSL's new plasma fractionation facility and the start of construction of Moderna's mRNA vaccine production site.

Processes like horizon scanning and the HTA review will quickly descend into an obscurantist discussion on technical inputs without clear direction from health minister Mark Butler on what specific outcomes the government wants.

"I am not sure that is the same for reimbursement agencies (and PBAC) and patients and clinicians," said Professor Andrew Wilson, adding, "And purpose defines what you want to do with the information. You need an effector arm that can respond to the information."

New Zealand's Today FM and the Mediaworks network are not relenting in their criticism of Pharmac. They have now challenged Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern over her claims regarding the actions of the controversial medicines agency.

New Zealand's controversial medicines purchasing agency Pharmac will be investigated by the country's Ombudsman over its handling of information requests.

The investment is the latest in what represents a significant reversal of the long-term trend of disinvestment by the global biopharmaceutical industry in Australian research and manufacturing.

New Zealand's controversial medicines purchasing agency has surely reached a new low with its decision to ban engagement with one media organisation simply because it did its job.

BioPharmaDispatch spoke with Viatris' Sylvain Vigneault and Stephen Jenkins about how the company's program for STEM students is one component of a wider strategic initiative aimed at growing the company's industrial capacity in Australia.

Bristol Myers Squibb has welcomed TGA registration of SOTYKTU (deucravacitinib) for the treatment of adults with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis who are candidates for systemic therapy or phototherapy.

In the first of a series, GSK Boronia site director Allison Tippett reflects on the legacy and contribution of the manufacturing facility as the company prepares to exit the site after 52 years.

The provisional agreement between Vertex and the controversial medicines purchasing agency will see wider access in New Zealand than is currently reimbursed in Australia.

Sanofi is inviting other healthcare organisations to join in its support of Return Unwanted Medicines and campaign to raise awareness of the environmental impact of the incorrect disposal of unused and expired medicines.

The Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee will reconsider AstraZeneca's EVUSHELD (tixagevimab and cilgavimab) for the pre-exposure prevention of COVID-19 at its December intracycle meeting.

Pfizer has welcomed the expanded PBS listing of LORVIQUA (lorlatinib) to include the first-line treatment of a form of non-small cell lung cancer.

The report recommends that the government take action to protect the medicines budget from "ongoing erosion" as a share of total health spending.

This week's Pfizer 'Invites' event featured an interesting expert discussion on pandemic preparedness. We answer lots of listener questions on that issue and other topics, including why the medical device and frankly all stakeholders should push for close parliamentary scrutiny of three pieces of new legislation.

The latest 'Pfizer Invites' event brought together a panel of experts in Sydney yesterday to take part in a forward-looking discussion about planning for the next pandemic

The federal government has tabled legislation in the House of Representatives that will enable a range of reforms to the TGA, including enhanced arrangements for the reporting of some adverse events and a change to promote the domestic production of 'export-only biologicals'.

Officials from the Department of Health and Aged Care have avoided further scrutiny before the end of the year with a Senate committee cancelling a planned 90-minute hearing of Estimates.