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But we are proud to say that YeeHar contributed 66 entries already.
As the Sponsor of a new medicine seeking listing on the national Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), pricing used to be relatively straightforward once a positive Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) recommendation had been received. The Pharmaceutical Benefits Pricing Authority (PBPA), defunct as of 1 April 2014, would determine the price based on: (1) PBAC advice […]
First screened at the Tribeca Film Festival in April 2018, and still available on Netflix, The Bleeding Edge is a documentary that could have easily been made about any sector of the health care industry. No medical intervention is without risk, and although informed consent includes a discussion of potential negative outcomes, health consumers are […]
Yes, 2020; a Leap year; summer Olympics; US Presidential race; and UN International Year of Plant Health! Whatever is forecast with respect to Australia’s weather and economy in the coming year, here are a few predictions that haven’t quite come to fruition (Courtesy of BestLife): In 1937, Nikola Tesla predicted that “within a century, coffee, tea, and tobacco […]
As the purchasing of medicines moves towards a commodity model in Australia, with off-patent (F2) molecules a marketplace, and ‘me too’ R&D programs and associated payer behaviour creating as much in the patent (F1) space, providers all along the supply chain are being impacted. What are Community Pharmacists, as one of the key groups affected […]
Mandatory reporting of medicine shortages† from 1 January this year has seen new notifications to the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) increase by over 400% (n=1,455 for 2018-19) compared to the previous period (n=274). Currently, over 10% of the drugs on the TGA ‘list’ are classified as critical with the potential to have a life-threatening […]
Taxpayer funded national programs providing universal access to prescription drugs are longstanding policy in Australia, NZ and UK. Considering the establishment of a similar program in Canada, where largely private province-based schemes* currently operate, presents an opportunity to consider what is lost when these programs are the sole focus of pharmaceutical policy. Advocates of such […]
‘Without structural change to the way in which health care is delivered and financed, the Australian health care system will continue to struggle to meet contemporary needs and expectations of its citizens.‘ Mitchell Institute Policy Issues Paper ‘Australian Health Services: Too complex to navigate’ February 2019 SIMPLIFICATION REQUIRED An analysis of previous reviews of Australia’s […]
The release of Australian mortality data by the AIHW brings to mind Donne’s sonnet, although causes of death are no longer the ‘kings and desperate men‘ attributed in c.1610. In 2017, there were 160,909 deaths registered in Australia, 66% among people aged 75 or over (60% males and 73% females). The median age at death […]
Having been hit by the proverbial bus (#), although in my case, it was a toboggan, my recent encounter with the Australian healthcare system has left me in awe! From the impromptu consultation with a holidaying ER specialist; the ordered chaos of the Perisher Valley Medical Centre; the administrative whiz at the Sydney rooms who […]
The 44.5% of Australians who have private health insurance (PHI) for hospital treatment can choose to use that insurance to completely or partially fund their stay in a public or private hospital. When should a Medicare card holder, eligible for free treatment as a public patient in a public hospital, who also has PHI hospital […]