AMWG Communique - 7 August 2014

Page last updated: 10 September 2014

PDF version of Acess to Medicines Working Group August 2014 (PDF 22 KB)

AMWG Meeting:

The second meeting of the reinvigorated AMWG occurred on 7 August 2014.

Attendees:

Attendees included co-Chairs: Dr Richard Bartlett (A/g Deputy Secretary Department of Health) and Dr Martin Cross (Chair of Medicines Australia); representatives from the Medicines Australia secretariat; industry and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Division (PBD) of the Department of Health.

Purpose:

The purpose of the meeting was to update the AMWG on progress against the work streams.

1.    Managed entry scheme

2.    Section 99ACB of the National Health Act

3.    Transparency of PBS processes,

4.    Post-market reviews

Progress:

Medicines Australia provided the Department of Health with copies of the industry’s position on each industry topic. The Department also provided the government’s position on transparency for discussion and a supplementary paper on S.99ACB.

The AMWG sub-groups met on 1 August to review the positions and agree the process going forward. The position statements, proposed solutions and consideration of opportunities to include other stakeholders in discussions on the policy issues formed the basis of discussions. The Department provided their initial feedback on the industry positions and the topic specific sub-groups have agreed on further meetings to further consider the responses and agreed actions.

A progress update will be reported to the Minister for Health in September.

Communication:

A new schedule of meetings to facilitate progress on the four priority issues has been agreed.

The AMWG reaffirmed agreement that other stakeholders, such as GMiA, should be included in relevant topics such as 99ACB and that the post-market review framework should be shared with GMiA prior to being published.