18 drugs 'missing' from the PBS

Medicines Australia (MA) has named 18 ‘missing medicines’ from the PBS in a new report, warning that the Australian Government’s torturous reimbursement process and declining investment is deterring pharmas from listing new treatments.

The report entitled ‘Bitter Pill: How Australian patients are missing out on the latest medical breakthroughs’ shows just a quarter of medicines launched globally over the past decade have been subsidised in Australia, compared to 88 per cent in the US and 46 per cent in the UK.

‘Missing medicines’ refers to innovative therapies, newer medicines that represent a meaningful advancement over existing treatments, delivering improved patient outcomes compared to older treatments.