# \[e-drug\] Crisis in the Australian PBS (cont) **URL:** \ **Category:** e-drug\ **Created:** [February 21, 2001, 1:00am UTC](https://talk.edrugplus.org/t/e-drug-crisis-in-the-australian-pbs-cont/10427 "2001-02-21T01:00:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dr\_Ken\_Harvey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47c2d/32.png) [@Dr\_Ken\_Harvey](https://talk.edrugplus.org/u/Dr_Ken_Harvey)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2001, 1:00am UTC](https://talk.edrugplus.org/t/e-drug-crisis-in-the-australian-pbs-cont/10427/1 "2001-02-21T01:00:23Z")
E-drug: Crisis in the Australian PBS (cont) --------------------------------------------- The following letter was published in "The Age" newspaper today. To the Editor: Living in a country whose citizens enjoy the highest prescription drug prices in the world, I have been following the situation involving Australia's Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee with some interest. First the appointment to the committee of a former drug industry lobbyist, followed by the resignation of several committee members in response, and now the appointment of a director of a consumer group that receives money from the drug industry, a situation that the Federal Health Minister does not believe represents a conflict of interest (The Age, February 15). I for one would be curious to know what would constitute conflict of interest for an individual who is going to be deciding what drugs are going to be listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme I suppose I should find all this reassuring--I had been worried that the presence of several former pharmaceutical industry executives and lobbyists in our new administration might somehow influence future discussions about prescription drug benefits for senior citizens here in the U.S. Perhaps Australians can look forward to even more changes that will bring its health care system closer still to our own--a system that spends more money on health care than any other, yet is ranked 24th in the world by the WHO because only the wealthy have good access. Robert L. Goodman, MD Division of General Medicine Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons 622 W 168th St. New York, New York USA Phone 212-305-6262 --------------------------------------------------- Bob is also encouraging health workers to, "Take the Pledge" and say "NO" to drug company influence. See [http://www.nofreelunch.org/pledge.html](http://www.nofreelunch.org/pledge.html) --------------------------------------------------- Dr. Ken Harvey, Senior Lecturer, School of Public Health, Room 221, Building HS1 (NW9), La Trobe University, Bundoora, 3086, Australia, Telephone +61 3 9479 5773, Facsimile +61 3 9479 1783, Personal mobile 0419 181910, Internet: [http://www-sph.health.latrobe.edu.au/kharvey/](http://www-sph.health.latrobe.edu.au/kharvey/) "Ken Harvey" \ -- Send mail for the `E-Drug' conference to `e-drug@usa.healthnet.org'. Mail administrative requests to `majordomo@usa.healthnet.org'. For additional assistance, send mail to: `owner-e-drug@usa.healthnet.org'.