Celia Hammond (Curtin, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Health. Will the minister outline to the House how the Morrison government's plan for a stronger economy and a more resilient Australia is helping it make life-changing medicines available on the PBS, including for those Australians suffering from COPD and other respiratory conditions? And is the minister aware of any alternative approaches that would undermine this stable approach?

Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to thank the member for Curtin for her work in advocating for medical research in her current role but also in helping to oversee the training of medical students and to lead, in particular, medical research in that area of chronic pain as the Vice Chancellor of Notre Dame university, where she brought into being a chair in chronic pain.

We know that it's immensely important, though, to be able to support medical research, medical students and the listing of new medicines through a strong budget position, and we know this for historical reasons, through clear evidence. It was not that long ago, in 2011, when the budget papers said: 'Due to fiscal circumstances'—because we have difficult fiscal challenges now, but then, due to fiscal circumstances—'the government will defer the listing of some new medicines until fiscal circumstances permit.' And what did that mean?

That meant that medicine for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma, Symbicort in particular, were denied to the Australian people by a government, the then Labor government, which decided not to list the recommendations of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee. And it wasn't just chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma; it included medicines for schizophrenia, for IVF and for endometriosis. They did that because they ran out of money, and the evidence of that is there in the budget papers.

Fortunately, because we have a very clear plan for the economy, a very clear plan for the budget, we are able to invest in new medicines. More than 2,300 new medicines are on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme—one a day—and, significantly, a 40 per cent reduction in listing times. And as of 1 March we will have expanded medicines for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Trelegy will be available to more than 16,000 patients, at a saving of approximately $1,100 a year. It will literally mean that these 16,000 patients can breathe more easily.

At the same time, there is another important medicine—Imfinzi—which will be available on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Imfinzi, which would otherwise cost $100,000, will be available for 1,300 patients with non-small-cell lung cancer. It's a medicine that can save their lives, extend their lives and improve their lives. It would never be possible to support a medicine like this without a strong budget position, without an absolute commitment to meeting the requirements, without the ability to pay for these new medicines, and that's why having a plan is critical and that's why, above all else, we're committed to supporting Australian patients. (Time expired)