More companies are exercising their rights, and they are perfectly entitled

MedAdvisor CEO and managing director, Rick Ratliff, said, "We are now sharpening our focus on the US business. While near-term market headwinds persist, we remain confident in the strength of our platform, the depth of our client relationships, and the strategic investments positioning us for long-term growth."

The South Australian Government has responded to a significant seasonal flu outbreak by announcing it will fund pharmacies to administer the vaccines to children aged six months to five years.

The critical and key point is that the anniversary statutory price reductions legislated as a result of agreements are time-limited, meaning they expire, making a new negotiation almost inevitable and giving the industry leverage.

The British pharmaceutical industry has cautiously welcomed a new ten-year plan for the country's National Health Service, which shares some characteristics with Australia's HTA Review.

New Zealand's Deputy Prime Minister and Associate Health Minister, David Seymour, will issue an updated letter of expectations to Pharmac before the end of July.

Not only does Australia free-ride on US funded innovation, it revels in it, while maintaining a broader life sciences strategy premised on almost total dependence on returns from the country's large and generous healthcare market.

The framework acknowledges the use of genomics in cancer care, including targeted therapies, but it bypasses any specific consideration of funding systems and processes by deferring it to a review that is mostly silent on the issue.

Medicines Australia says it welcomes the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing's "clear and positive recommendations to Government, to focus on implementation and delivery of the next critical phase for the HTA Review, within the recently released Incoming Government Brief."

AusBiotech, the national representative organisation of Australia’s life sciences industry, is seeking a head of investment.

While the report acknowledges the use of genomics in cancer care, including targeted therapies, it does not provide specific recommendations to more broadly integrate its use beyond vague references to the Health Technology Assessment Review.

The Generic and Biosimilar Medicines Association has announced that its chief executive, Marnie Peterson, who has held the position for seven years, will depart the organisation at the end of 2025.

MedAdvisor has now announced a binding share sale and purchase agreement to sell its Australian and New Zealand business division and associated intellectual property to Jonas Software.

Productivity is a primary focus at the start of the Albanese Government's second term, including in the health sector, and the industry is planning to contribute.

Matt Zeller, Novartis country president for Australia and New Zealand, said, “We welcome the PBS listing of KISQALI for node-positive patients at high risk of cancer recurrence. Importantly, this milestone provides the EBC community with more treatment choices, but we recognise there is still more work to be done."

“This is a welcome additional treatment option for this patient population and reinforces our goal of delivering new options to patients living with difficult-to-treat cancers," said Owen Smith, the general manager of Bristol Myers Squibb Australia and New Zealand.

Associate Health Minister, David Seymour, has directed the country's regulator and reimbursement agency to explore the use of artificial intelligence to expedite their processes.

Wesfarmers Health chief customer officer Richard Pearson said, “Trialling new retail formats is one of the ways we are delivering simpler, more affordable and easier to access health, beauty and wellness experiences."

Despite stakeholder angst over the health department's Incoming Government Brief, it contains few surprises, including its advice on the HTA Review and new funding mechanisms for PBS listings.

Takeda's LIVTENCITY (maribavir) is now available through the PBS for people with post-transplant cytomegalovirus infection and disease who are resistant, refractory or intolerant to one or more prior therapies.