CEO raises red flag on PBS transparency

Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand CEO, Vincent So, has called into question the current PBS transparency frameworks, stating that there is currently no mechanism to disclose a drug’s commercial history, using Big Tobacco discovered and developed Anzupgo as a prime example.

The chronic hand eczema treatment, which contains the active delgocitinib, was recommended by the PBAC in November 2025 and again in July 2026, with the first submission marked inactive, flagging issues on conditions of the recommendation such as pricing.

In an Opinion piece published this week in MJA offshoot InSight+ So said while the medicine was “judged on its clinical and cost-effectiveness merits” its commercial history “raises a broader question”.