Drug Utilisation Sub Committee (DUSC)

Page last updated: 16 October 2025

Drug Utilisation Sub Committee (DUSC) of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) assesses estimates on projected usage and financial cost for medicines.

It also collects and analyses data on actual use (including in comparison with different countries), and provides advice to PBAC.

DUSC contact details can be found in PBS Contacts

The DUSC Outcome Statements provide a high level summary of the topics discussed at each DUSC meeting.  This includes summarised results and DUSC’s views on the utilisation analyses of PBS medicines and therapeutic areas (multiple medicines in a treatment area) considered at that meeting.  The Outcome Statement also provides notice of the PBS medicines and therapeutic areas selected for consideration at future DUSC meetings.

The DUSC Utilisation Analysis Public Release Documents provide public access to the DUSC utilisation analysis reports.  The DUSC considers the reports will assist stakeholders including consumers, health professionals, researchers and pharmaceutical sponsors, to better understand how PBS medicines are currently being used, the methods DUSC employs to analyse utilisation of PBS medicines and the PBS data available for these analyses.  The reports may also outline how the current utilisation of PBS medicines compares with the use as recommended by the PBAC.

The DUSC considers the publication of the DUSC Outcome Statements and Utilisation Analysis Public Release Documents provide greater transparency of the working of the DUSC and the utilisation of PBS medicines.  The DUSC considers that the publications uphold the National Medicines Policy, which states that consumers and health practitioners should be encouraged to understand the costs, benefits and risks of medicines.

Current Membership

Professor Christopher Etherton-Beer (Chair) - Geriatric and Clinical Pharmacology
Professor Christopher Etherton-Beer (MBBS, GradCertHPEd, PhD, FRACP) is the current Chair of Drug Utilisation Sub Committee (DUSC) of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC). He is also Professor of Geriatric Medicine at the University of Western Australia, and the Head of Geriatric and Rehabilitation Medicine at the Royal Perth Hospital. He has research interests in pharmaco-geriatrics, stroke, aged care and medical education. He is a current member of PBAC and member of the Medical Services Advisory Committee PICO Advisory Subcommittee. Professor Etherton-Beer provides expertise in the field of geriatric and clinical pharmacology.

Dr Lauren Brown - Medical Oncology
Dr Lauren J Brown is an oncologist, working as a clinical research fellow at Westmead and Blacktown Hospitals. Dr Brown provides expertise in the field of medical oncology.

Dr Edward Chew - Haematology
Dr Edward Chew (MBBS), FRACP, FRCPA, PhD, is a clinical and laboratory haematologist at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and Austin Health. He completed a Translational PhD on genetic drivers in acute myeloid leukaemia with ongoing clinical and research interest in implementing genomics testing to improve patient outcomes. Dr Chew is a member of the Royal College of Pathologists (RCPA) Haematology Advisory Committee, a national examiner for the RCPA Haematology and acts as a Biocurator for the National Institutes of Health ClinGen Myeloid Malignancy Variant Curation Expert Panel. Dr Chew provides expertise in clinical and laboratory haematology as well as diagnostic genomics.

Ms Natalie Clark Reynolds - Consumer Member
Ms Natalie Clark Reynolds (BSc (Hons)) is a community advocate within the health industry. She has extensive experience in research ethics, health and education. She is a community representative on Bellberry Ltd’s human research ethics committee, and member of the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies research ethics committee. Ms Clark Reynolds provides expertise in consumer matters.

Professor Louisa Jorm - Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Professor Louisa Jorm (BVSc, MSc, PhD, FAHMS) is Director of the Centre for Big Data Research in Health and the Deputy Director of the University of New South Wales AI Institute. She has extensive experience in epidemiology and data science, with research interests in applying advanced analytics to health and medical big data to generate real-world evidence to improve healthcare and patient outcomes. She is a member of the Australian Research Council Medical Research Advisory group. Professor Jorm provides expertise in the field of epidemiology and biostatistics.

Dr David Liew - Rheumatology and Clinical Pharmacology
Dr David Liew (MBBS, FRACP) is a Consultant Rheumatologist and Clinical Pharmacologist at Austin Health, Melbourne. A current PhD-candidate at the University of Melbourne, he provides experience in rheumatology and clinical pharmacology, specifically healthcare interventions, public policy and clinical research. He is the Deputy Chair of the Victorian Therapeutic Advisory Group and Medical Director of Arthritis Australia. Dr Liew provides expertise in the field of rheumatology and clinical pharmacology.

Professor Sallie-anne Pearson - Pharmacoepidemiology
Professor Sallie-anne Pearson (PhD) is a Professor of Health Systems and a Theme Principal of Health Systems Research and Director of the National Health and Medical Research Council Centre of Research Excellence in Medicines Intelligence at the University of New South Wales. She provides extensive experience in pharmacoepidemiology and population-based research using routinely collected data. She is a member of the Australian Commission for Safety and Quality and Health Care Medication Oversight Committee, National Data Advisory Council and Board of the NSW Bureau of Health Information. Professor Pearson provides expertise in the field of pharmacy and pharmacoepidemiology.

Professor Nicole Pratt - Biostatistics and Pharmacoepidemiology
Professor Nicole Pratt (BSc (Hons), PhD) is an Associate Professor at the Quality Use of Medicines and Pharmacy Research Centre, Sansom Institute, University of South Australia. She has research interests in statistical methodologies to study the effectiveness and safety of medicine use and in the development of tools for post-marketing surveillance of medicines and medical devices. She is chief investigator of the National Health and Medical Research Council Medicines and Devices Centre of Research Excellence and leads the evaluation of the Veterans Medicines Advice and Therapeutics Education Service program. Professor Pratt provides expertise in the field of biostatistics and pharmacoepidemiology.

Professor Libby Roughead - Pharmacy and Pharmacoepidemiology
Professor Libby Roughead (BPharm, MSc, PhD) is a Bradley Distinguished Professor at the University of South Australia and Director of the Quality Use of Medicines and Pharmacy Research Centre. She provides extensive research experience in pharmacy, pharmacoepidemiology and quality use of medicines. Professor Roughead provides expertise in pharmacy and pharmacoepidemiology.

Mr Mike Stephens - Pharmacy
Mr Mike Stephens (BPharm, PSA-AACPA, MPH-MBA) is a Consultant Pharmacist at Long Step Health and Director of Medicines Policy and Programs at the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation, Canberra. He provides extensive experience in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health as a consultant, policy advisor and practicing pharmacist. He is a board member of Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet and committee member of Patient Voice Initiative. Mr Stephens provides expertise in the field of pharmacy.

Professor Robyn Ward AM (ex-officio) - Medical Oncology and Cancer Genetics
Professor Robyn Ward AM (MBBS, PhD, FRACP, FAHMS, FQA) is Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Enterprise) and Senior Vice-President of Monash University. An academic leader, cancer researcher and medical oncologist, she has contributed immensely to the development of Commonwealth and NSW health policy, in addition to her pioneering work on the concept of epigenetic changes. Professor Ward was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia for significant service to medical research and patient care in the field of oncology. She is the current Chair of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) and an ex-officio member of PBAC Economic Subcommittee (ESC), as well as the former Chair of the Medical Services Advisory Committee. Professor Ward has extensive experience in health technology assessment and provides expertise in the fields of medical oncology and cancer genetics.

Adjunct Associate Professor Jo Watson (ex-officio) - Consumer Member
Adjunct Associate Professor Jo Watson (BA (Soc.Sci), MPH, FAICD) is a longstanding consumer nominee and advocate within the health industry. She brings extensive experience in the health technology assessment space, specialising in the collaboration between researchers, clinicians, health economists, pharmaceutical companies and government agencies. She is the current Deputy Chair of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC), Chair of the Health Technology Assessment Consumer Consultative Committee (HTA CCC), and an ex-officio member of the PBAC Economic Subcommittee (ESC) and the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation. Associate Professor Watson provides expertise in HTA and consumer advocacy.

Ms Heather Wrightman - Industry Member
Ms Heather Wrightman (BHSc (H&D), GradCer (HPS)) is a Senior Manager of Access and Funding at Medicines Australia. Her work is centred on medicines reimbursement policy within the Australian pharmaceutical industry and she is the industry member nominated by Medicines Australia. She is also the industry member of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) Economic Subcommittee (ESC) and a member of the Access to Medicines Working Group. Ms Wrightman provides expertise in the field of industry relations.