Proposal to fund life-changing drugs without PBAC approval under govt review
Lobby groups say a fund could help thousands of patients caught in the waiting period after TGA approval.
When the TGA approved cystic fibrosis drug Trikafta in 2021, the biggest barrier to treatment remained in place — the $250,000 a year cost.
About 2200 patients had to wait for PBAC to make a positive recommendation to have a real chance of access. Unsurprisingly, given the taxpayer cash at stake, it took time: some 13 months.
A government-commissioned review has now sketched out a potential system to subsidise medicines for 6-12 months before they are added to (or rejected from) the PBS.
Similar schemes are already available in countries such as the UK and Germany.
