Medicine subsidies to be fast-tracked as Coalition honours promise SUE DUNLEVY NATIONAL HEALTH REPORTER News Limited Network October 30, 2013 6:40PM

More than 12 medicines could have been approved
quicker in the last four years if Labor had allowed
ministerial approval.
THE subsidy of some high-cost medicines will
be fast-tracked after Health Minister Peter
Dutton won the power to approve them more
quickly.
Previously sick patients, some with a terminal
illness, had to wait up to six months - sometimes
over 18 months - for the cabinet to approve a
subsidy for a new medicine.
Now the Health Minister will be able to sidestep
cabinet and approve subsidies for any medicine
costing less than $20 million a year.
The change honours a Coalition election promise to
streamline approvals for medicine subsidies and
was welcomed by the pharmaceutical industry.
"In a desperate attempt to find savings the former
Labor government abandoned this successful
initiative, holding up approval of many drugs to
the detriment of sick Australians," Mr Dutton said.
"The Coalition Government has not only restored,
but increased the threshold which will mean that
more patients can access new and improved
medicines sooner and at an affordable price. " he
said.
"This improvement in the process should reduce
the time for listing for some medicines on the PBS,"
Medicines Australia chief Brendan Shaw said.
"This is good news for companies who'll benefit
from greater predictability, good news for
government who'll have more efficient processes,
and, ultimately, good news for patients who'll get
access to new medicines sooner," he said.
The previous Labor government caused a storm in
2011 when it delayed the approval of seven
medicines recommended for subsidy by an
independent committee and eventually had to back
down.
More than 12 medicines for cancer, kidney disease,
migraine and enlarged prostate could have been
approved quicker in the last four years if Labor
had allowed ministerial approval.
Before the minister can approve a subsidy the
medicine must be found cost effective and be
recommended for subsidy by an expert,
independent government committee.
Many new medicines are coming with price tags of
up to $300,000 per person per year and are
unlikely to fall under the $20 million a year
funding threshold.
Cabinet will still have a role in deciding whether to
fund these.
Earlier this week the Coalition announced
subsidies for 50 new and amended medicines and
technologies to treat cancer, diabetes, multiple
sclerosis and a range of other debilitating diseases.