Public health, medicine not forgotten
The budget delivered significant measures for Australia’s public health and patients with reform to vaping laws, the establishment of an Australian Centre for Disease Control, and doubling the supply of many medicines patients can access from a single co-payment.
This week’s budget saw the federal government commit to important reforms to curb the scourge of vaping, as well as the establishment of an Australian Centre for Disease Control (CDC).
It also confirmed changes announced before the budget, allowing patients to access two months’ supply of 325 medicines for single co-payments. These will be where patients have been assessed as stable and clinically suitable by their doctor to receive 12-month prescriptions of selected medicines.
The decision followed the AMA’s calls in February to implement the recommendations of the independent Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) to increase the maximum dispensed quantities on selected PBS items from one month’s supply to two months’ supply.
The AMA wrote to Health Minister Mark Butler urging him to implement PBAC’s independent advice, which would help patients save money and time, while relieving taxpayers’ health budget dollars.
Importantly, the discretion to prescribe a two month’s supply of one of the 325 selected medicines will remain in the hands of a patient’s doctor and can only happen where the patient is considered stable and clinically suitable.
The AMA had been vocal in calling on the government to crack down on vaping, including a submission to the TGA earlier this year and AMA President Professor Steve Robson writing to the Minister for Health Mark Butler last year.
AMA President, Professor Steve Robson welcomed this move and the budget funding “with $234 million committed to addressing the issue, which is impacting the health of many Australians, including our children.”
The government committed $91 million for an Australian CDC setting aside $91.1 million for its establishment over the next two years.
“The government continues to make welcome progress on the establishment of an Australian Centre for Disease Control, setting aside $91.1 million for its establishment over the next two years,” Professor Robson said.
Further detail can be found in the Health Portfolio Budget Statements.
