Australia plans to fast-track PBS drugs

The time taken for drugs to list on Australia's Pharmaceutical BenefitsScheme is set to shorten significantly under recommendations made in a report on post-Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee processes produced by the Department of Health and Ageing and Medicines Australia.

In recent years, processes for listing have become more complex and there have been delays in getting some high-cost drugs listed, says the report, adding that, while the time between recommendation and use has fallen from nine and a half months in 1995 to five months now, this should be cut further. One of its proposals is that some drugs should be fast-tracked through the process, which could see some listing within six to eight weeks of PBAC approval.

The report's 26 recommendations also include modernizing the Department's information technology systems so that the list of new PBS drugs which doctors can prescribe is made available every month on-line instead of three times a year in print, as is now the case. In addition, it says, earlier consultations should be provided between the Department and industry prior to lodgement of PBAC submissions, to achieve earlier agreement in areas that can cause delays. Its other recommendations aim to: