New medicines boosting health outcomes in Australia: report

The publication of Australia's Health 2010 highlights the important contribution of prescription medicines in improving health outcomes for Australian patients, says the drug industry trade group Medicines Australia.

The report, published this week by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, outlines the impact of medicines and vaccines on a range of disease areas including HIV/AIDS, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and infectious diseases.

'This report demonstrates the importance of innovative new medicines in helping significantly to improve health outcomes across a number of diseases,' Brendan Shaw, chief executive of Medicines Australia, adding: 'We also see evidence that new medicines are helping keep patients out of hospital, which is particularly important where hospital costs are under increasing pressure.'