Is there any example of another review or inquiry taking this long?

It was a stark assertion by the patient leader. Stark because, while an entirely reasonable suggestion, it is historically unheard of in a system built on an institutional framework that instinctively and habitually protects and serves its own interest.

From 1 May 2026, New Zealanders living with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia will gain access to newly funded early treatment options.

Put simply, given the time it is taking to complete the review, the system the review aims to update has become even more outdated. It is a horrible and frankly brutal irony for those wanting meaningful change.

In an era where healthcare systems are under increasing strain, one of the most accessible and trusted points of care remains community pharmacy.

The Board of MTPConnect has announced the appointment of Chief Executive Officer Stuart Dignam as a Director, marking a significant milestone as the organisation moves into its second decade of operation.

“As an industry, we’ve been circling the same problems, slow access, HTA reform, PBS sustainability, for years. And we’re still circling," she says, adding it needs to change.

At a parliamentary event hosted by Labor MP Dr Mike Freelander, and supported by continuous glucose monitoring provider Dexcom, Professor David Simmons described the technologies as a decisive shift in diabetes management.

The company, established in 2015 and listed on the ASX in 2017, has emerged as a bright star in Australia's life sciences sector, with an expanding global footprint driven by its growing nuclear medicine portfolio.

Some Australian pharmaceutical companies have moved to reassure investors that a new United States tariff on imported pharmaceuticals is unlikely to materially disrupt their businesses, even as the policy signals a significant shift in global trade dynamics.

The AFR Healthcare Summit 2026 canvassed the full breadth of Australia’s healthcare challenges, ranging from disability, artificial intelligence, aged care, mental health, affordability and investment. Mark Butler chose to focus his keynote address exclusively on the PBS. Something is coming.

The idea that a nation should maintain sovereign capability in critical health technologies and exercise market power to its advantage has been embedded in Australian policy for years. How can we complain when the US does the same thing?

Data presented at the Sandoz Medicines Access and Biosimilar Policy Summit 2026 show that biosimilar uptake in Australia lags behind that of other OECD markets.

Families of children living with severe eczema are issuing what they describe as an 'SOS' distress call to the Albanese Government, urging action to address what they see as a long-standing inequity in access to effective treatment.

The 2026 National Trade Estimate Report has reiterated a range of longstanding U.S. concerns regarding pharmaceutical pricing and reimbursement systems in Australia and New Zealand.

In this week's episode, the discussion focuses on Health Minister Mark Butler's address at an event in Sydney and its invocation of history as the framework for pending negotiations over HTA reforms and PBS pricing. Also, strange comments by one senior official about evidence in healthcare decision-making send a clear signal about some of the thinking that might impact the next one to two years. 

Patient advocacy and industry leaders are urging a step change in how New Zealand approaches access to modern medicines, with the release of the Valuing Life Medicines Access Summit 2025 Report by Patient Voice Aotearoa and Medicines New Zealand.

A new partnership between Besins Healthcare Australia and Arrotex Pharmaceuticals is set to expand access to menopausal hormone therapy for women across Australia.

“Due to the nature of complex and varying state programs, thousands of babies slipped through the cracks, missed out on protection and were hospitalised with RSV in 2025,” said Catherine Hughes, founder of the Immunisation Foundation of Australia.

'Paws for Patients' is an initiative from Patients Australia that elevates personal stories of resilience, connection, and companionship while raising funds to support patient advocacy nationwide.