Australia's PBS spend "under control"

A new report by Access Economics confirms spending on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme operated in Australia will not spiral out of control, as  the former John Howard government's two intergenerational reports  predicted. The new study was presented on April 2.

Pharmaceutical body Medicines Australia's chief executive, Ian  Chalmers, said the report demonstrates very clearly that the PBS will be  sustainable into the future and will not blow out government health care  budgets.

"This important study presents a powerful argument to the Rudd  government as to why the PBS should be quarantined from budget cuts,"  Mr Chalmers noted. "We now have compelling independent evidence that  growth is being contained and we have a sustainable PBS," he said.