Why are some medicines subsidised on the PBS but others arent?
The Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) makes recommendations to the Government about whether a medicine should be subsidised on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) or not. The PBAC considers whether a medicine will provide a health benefit that is better than, or at least as good as, that provided by an existing medicine or with fewer side effects. The other key consideration is whether the medicine’s price is acceptable to the Government. If a medicine meets these criteria, the PBAC will recommend that it is subsidised on the PBS.
