Dept reviews PBAC's cost-minimisation process

The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing will undertake a rapid review of PBS-listed relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis drugs, including how they are being used and whether the PBAC needs to change how it compares them.

The PBAC requested the review at its July meeting, when it gave advice to Health Minister Mark Butler that there are clinical benefits to continuing to list Roche's Ocrevus, Novartis' Kesimpta, and Sanofi's Lemtrada on the PBS, and the Minister indicated that would continue to be the case.

Butler sought the advice after public uproar at the news that Novartis and Roche were considering delisting their MS drugs in response to a proposed 40 per cent price cut.