News of the Day

Recently elected Opposition Leader Angus Taylor has confirmed that South Australian senator Anne Ruston will remain responsible for the health and aged care portfolio, signalling continuity in the Coalition’s approach to two of the country's most politically sensitive policy areas.

Health Minister Mark Butler has confirmed that the Albanese Government has approved new and expanded Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme listings to improve access to treatments for Australians living with cystic fibrosis, chronic kidney disease, and psoriasis.

Remuneration for board directors in Australia’s listed healthcare and biotechnology sector increased materially in the financial year 2025, with growth driven largely by the expanding use of equity-based incentives rather than increases in base fees.

The life sciences sector will come together in March 2026 for a major show of support for women’s leadership, as AusBiotech and Medicines Australia expand their partnership to deliver both the long-running Women in Life Sciences Luncheon and, for the first time, a dedicated Leadership Summit.

A new prostate cancer imaging technology from Clarity Pharmaceuticals (ASX:CU6) is showing promise in improving the detection of recurrent disease, after results from a comparative clinical study indicated it may outperform the current standard of care.

Emyria’s (ASX:EMD) push to scale its insurer-backed mental health services across Australia has taken a significant step forward, with Medibank expanding its funding agreement to support patients at the company’s new Mornington Peninsula clinic in Victoria.

Concerns that US tariffs on Australian pharmaceuticals could deliver a major blow to the economy appear overstated, according to the International Monetary Fund’s latest assessment of Australia’s outlook, which instead points to rising and mostly unavoidable health spending as the far more significant long-term policy challenge.

Australian cell therapy company Chimeric Therapeutics (ASX:CHM) has strengthened its leadership, appointing experienced biotechnology executive Dr Bradley Glover as Non-Executive Director and Chair, and naming a new Chief Financial Officer, as part of a broader governance refresh.

“This is an important treatment option and today is a proud day for CSL Seqirus as an Australian company,” said CSL Seqirus Executive Medical Director Dr Jonathan Anderson. “We look forward to seeing decision-makers assess our application for funding so that more Australians can access NEFFY.”

The Kosi Challenge has grown into one of the country’s most inspiring community fundraising events, bringing together patients, families, corporate teams and individual supporters with a shared goal: ensuring no one faces cancer alone.

Mark Butler made this point at the recent GBMA Summit. He is currently grappling with the PBAC's recommendation to reimburse a GLP-1 therapy for weight loss. The minister essentially acknowledged that he has to find the money, which is the nature of the system. Simply arguing for more without a focus on how to achieve it is frankly akin to a beauty pageant contestant calling for world peace.

As Sussan Ley exits politics, her tenure as health minister is best remembered for driving some of the most structurally significant reforms to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme in decades, reshaping pricing, governance, industry engagement, and patient access despite at times intense opposition.