This BioPharmaDispatch conference is less than four weeks away and the agenda is close to finalised with a focus on a range of issues impacting the sector.
This year’s event will take place on Monday 17 May - the Monday after the government announces the 2021-22 Budget.
Over 250 people have already registered for what will be a combined in-person and virtual event. Importantly, over 60 representatives of patient groups and patients have registered to participate, with complimentary registration still available.
Registrations remain open for both the in-person and virtual component. Current restrictions allow 250 people to attend in person. Of the over 250 registrations to date, around 100 are virtual, with several companies taking the opportunity to license access for their organisations.
The day will start with a breakfast for the patient group representatives. The breakfast, which is supported by Medicines Australia and conference communications partner Cube, will feature a ‘Q&A’ dialogue between the patient groups and PBAC chair Professor Andrew Wilson with deputy chair Jo Watson.
The full conference agenda will begin at 9am with the master of ceremonies Rae Johnston. Ms Johnston is a proud Wiradjuri woman, multi-award-winning STEM journalist and broadcaster. She was the first Science and Technology Editor for NITV (National Indigenous Television) at SBS and her work appears across television, radio, podcasts and online.
The event is also going through the process of being certified ‘carbon neutral’ with the support of Pangolin Associates.
This year’s conference has multiple themes but is significantly focused on ‘stewardship’, the challenge of achieving system-level change, the PBS and the law, as well as a cross-sector perspective on the future of health technology assessment.
The conference will also focus on the 2021-22 Budget and its implications for the next federal election, COVID-19 vaccines, data and decision-making in health, clinical trials and the latest from New Zealand.
Speakers include GBMA chair Jane Halton AO PSM, PBAC chair Professor Andrew Wilson, Janssen's chair for the Asia Pacific region Chris Hourigan, Pfizer's Anne Harris, Neil MacGregor of Bristol Myers Squibb, GSK's Christi Kelsey, Bayer’s Ashraf Al-Ouf, AstraZeneca's Liz Chatwin, who is also the deputy chair of Medicines Australia, Liz de Somer of Medicines Australia, Dr Rachel David from Private Healthcare Australia, MTAA's Ian Burgess and Pharmacy Guild national president Trent Twomey.
Other confirmed speakers include Nexus chair and CEO Nick Campbell, Jody Fassina of Insight Strategy, Kelly Griffiths of Gadens, the former chair of Medicines Australia Will Delaat AM and ex-deputy secretary of the Department of Health David Learmonth, as well as Better Access Australia chair Felicity McNeill PSM, Dr Graeme Jarvis of Medicines NZ, Annie Madden of Harm Reduction Australia and Melanie Funk of Eczema Support Australia.
