E-drug: Pfizer aims to destroy Australian PBS (cont'd)
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Thank you to all who have contributed so far.
Would friends in the UK please give us an update on the situation re
subsidy for sildenafil there?
Would friends in other countries please follow the good examples of
Foppe van Mil of The Netherlands and Eggert Sigfusson of Iceland and
let us know if sildenafil is subsidised by the taxpayer in your country?
Today's update on the situation in Australia follows (Note for those
who are unfamiliar with Australian English - If the semantical
distinctions do not make sense to you do not blame yourself because
they do not make sense to us either!)
http://www.smh.com.au/news/9912/07/national/national11.html
Overhaul of drugs scheme ruled out
By MARIAN WILKINSON, National Affairs Editor
The Minister for Health, Dr Wooldridge, said yesterday he and the
Industry Minister, Senator Minchin, were considering 'a technical
review' of part of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, but said he
had dismissed 'out of hand' a major review of the scheme itself.
In a speech attacking the Herald's coverage of Government plans to
review the PBS, Dr Wooldridge said he was only looking at a review of
the 'listing advice' for new drugs.
However, according to health officials, the 'listing advice' for the PBS
is central to the scheme and any review of it would have far-reaching
implications.
The listing advice - that is, advice to the minister on which drugs
should receive a government subsidy - comes from the Pharmaceutical
Benefits Advisory Committee, PBAC, whose work has been under
increasing assault by some sections of the drug industry.
Tomorrow, the giant US drug company Pfizer is appearing in Federal
Court in Sydney challenging a decision by the PBAC not to list on the
PBS the anti-impotence drug Viagra, a decision that cost the company
millions of dollars and is estimated to have saved the Government $50
million.
According to health officials, the PBAC's work as part of the planned
'technical review of listing advice' could put the PBS under immense
pressure as its decisions to list drugs ultimately determines the cost of
the scheme to government and its long-term viability.
Dr Wooldridge said there were a number of 'errors of fact' in the
Herald's coverage. He said of the report that one of his senior staff
had left his office to join Pfizer in October that she was not 'a
pharmaceutical adviser' as stated but 'a medical adviser' who had
come to him from Royal Adelaide Hospital.
When the Herald interviewed the staffer, Ms Rachel David, last week,
she explained her move to Pfizer by saying her expertise in her
hospital work covered pharmaceuticals. When the Herald asked,
'While you were on Dr Wooldridge's staff you did deal with some of
the pharmaceutical matters?', she replied, 'That's correct'.
She said her work for Pfizer included 'a small part on government
regulation' but she would not be doing any 'direct lobbying'.
Dr Wooldridge's office said last night 'it was impossible to rule in or
out' whether Ms David had had meetings regarding pharmaceutical
matters in the 3 years she was in his office. He made no comment on
his other former staffer, Mr Bill Royce, who is now advising the drug
industry, including Pfizer.
Dr Wooldridge also said in Parliament he was 'not aware of any major
drug company' holding a fundraising function for him before the last
election. The Herald reported that drug companies held a joint
fundraiser for Dr Wooldridge and the MP for Parramatta, Mr Ross
Cameron.
Dr Wooldridge's office later acknowledged to the Herald that the
minister had attended a function organised by a professional
fundraising company, Frontbench.
The function with Mr Cameron included drug company executives
who paid to attend but the minister's office added that other members
of the health industry were also present.
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