DEFERRAL OF DECISION ON LIFE-SAVING HIV DRUG

With the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) deferring their decision on a possible listing on the PBS of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), the Federal Government must step up and make sure that Australians who need access to this treatment, have access.

 

Labor knows that many people were hanging their hopes on a positive PBAC decision, and will be disappointed by this delay. 

PrEP is widely considered a game-changer with the potential to end new HIV transmissions, with the Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations saying it will be an integral to reaching the goal of no new HIV cases by 2020.

 Unfortunately, access to the treatment is determined by access to state and territory trial programs - leaving someone outside a trial location financially locked out of accessing the drug.
 
 In extremely good news, the PBAC found that PrEP "appeared to be effective in reducing the transmission of HIV". This leaves the cost of the treatment as the unresolved issue in the path to list PrEP on the PBS.

 

Labor knows the incredible potential of prophylactic treatments – that’s why we amended our national platform in 2015 to acknowledge the importance of renewing efforts to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS.

In March, Labor wrote to the Prime Minister asking him to negotiate a way forward and offering our bipartisan support on a range of measures to ensure those at risk of contracting HIV have access to the protection this drug affords.

Given this deferral the Government must commit to undertaking more work to ensure all Australians at-risk of HIV have access to PrEP. 

We encourage all parties to unite in the common goal of improving access to PrEP.

This must be a priority for the Turnbull Government - federal leadership will be critical to breaking this stalemate and putting Australia on track to end new HIV infections.