Glossary of Terms

Page last updated: 20 January 2015

Glossary to accompany the PBAC Guidelines for preparing submissions to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee.

This glossary defines key terms used by the documents and processes that inform the health technology assessment (HTA) of a proposed health technology (medicine, vaccine, medical service or prosthesis), and consequent consideration and recommendation by an HTA advisory committee about listing in four main Australian Government funding arrangements — the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), the National Immunisation Program (NIP), the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) and the Prostheses List. There are three HTA advisory committees:

  • Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC)
  • Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC)
  • Prostheses List Advisory Committee (PLAC).

This glossary should be read in conjunction with guidelines for preparing submissions to HTA advisory committees. It is intended to help those who prepare submissions to understand the terminology as it is used by each HTA advisory committee and its advisers. Some terms in the glossary will not be found in every guideline; however, they have been included to make the glossary a more substantial resource for applicants to more than one HTA advisory committee.

 

Record of updates

table shows record of updates

Date

Version

Summary of Changes
May 1997 1.0 Glossary released
April 2010 2.0 Extensive update to reflect major revision resulting in version 4 of the Guidelines for preparing submissions to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee.
February 2013 1.0 Consolidated update to align the glossaries of the three main HTA advisory committees considering health technologies for funding by the Australian Government