New anti-corruption body has real implications for HTA decision-making

The first 'Week in Review' episode of 'The Dispatched Podcast' discusses the ongoing dispute over the implementation of the new PBS pricing framework, the 'Halton review' of Australia's COVID-19 vaccine and treatment procurement planning, and the significant implications of the new national anti-corruption commission.

During her 14 years as a Federal Court Judge, Justice Jayne Jagot delivered judgements on a range of high-profile cases involving pharmaceutical companies, including patent disputes.

Rare Cancers Australia CEO, Richard Vines, said, “This is welcome news for Australians living with MDS and CMML. It not only means that the financial weight is lifted, it means that patients will have the opportunity to lead more independent, productive lives."

Ipsen has welcomed the listing on the PBS of the first treatment for children with an extremely rare growth deficiency.

The TGA has provisionally approved Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine, COMIRNATY, for use in children aged 6 months to under 5 years old.

A new collaboration involving major pharmaceutical and healthcare companies, including API, Novartis and Abbott, is seeking to increase access to screening for cardiovascular risk factors.

Just over four weeks until the BioPharmaDispatch 'Post-Budget Summit' that will be held at a critical time for the biopharmaceutical sector and in the period immediately following the Labor government's first Budget.

New Zealand's controversial medicines purchasing agency PHARMAC has started a consultation process on funding two therapies, including one reimbursed through the PBS since 2003.

NPS MedicineWise has supporters in Canberra with two members of parliament using parliamentary debate and statements to call on health minister Mark Butler to reverse the defunding decision.

A study of an investigational treatment for Alzheimer’s drug lecanemab has delivered promising results by reducing cognitive decline in people in the early stage of the disease by 27 per cent over 18 months.

The Final Budget Outcome for 2021-22 has revealed that spending on the 'pharmaceutical benefits and services' sub-function ended the year lower than forecast in the March Budget but remained significantly higher than the previous year.

Nothing currently in dispute alters the fact that the industry groups agreed to a shift in the use of legal these terms which delivers a dramatic and probably irreversible expansion in the government's power to extract price reductions from companies with PBS-listed medicines.

"The ability to rapidly deliver effective vaccines and therapies to large numbers of people will remain relevant to planning and procurement for some time to come," said Professor Jane Halton AO PSM.

“As the parent of a child with growth hormone deficiency, the PBS listing of Ngenla is fantastic, we are over the moon,” said Marla Cawthorne, the mother of three-year-old Ruby.

Each researcher will receive up to $500,000 over two years to fast-track the discovery of innovative biotherapies to address unmet medical needs.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Australia senior country manager Sabrina Barbic said the Day of Service is a demonstration of the company's commitment to the community.

An Australian expatriate has been appointed to lead Novartis' global cardiovascular therapeutic franchise having most recently led the area for the company's US-based business.

Health minister Mark Butler has announced a number of new listings and highlighted the impact of October price disclosure reductions on reducing out-of-pocket patient costs. Yet that only tells half the story.

Neil MacGregor departs the Medicines Australia board after three years during which he played a major role in the negotiation of the association's current agreement with the federal government.

Australia company Pharmaxis (ASX:PXS) has announced positive interim data from the clinical trial of its topical anti-scarring investigative drug candidate PXS-6302.