With time running out for many people with hepatitis C, Haemophilia Foundation Australia joined Hepatitis Australia and 25 other health organisations today in an open letter to Australian Health Minister Sussan Ley urging action to make new curative treatments available to Australians without delay.
The letter acknowledges Minister Ley’s commitment to improving the lives of Australians and urges her to intervene to bring the Government and pharmaceutical companies together to “expedite price negotiations and confirm the addition of new breakthrough hepatitis C medicines on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme without delay.”
ACCESS DELAYS
Four new hepatitis C treatment combinations have now been recommended for listing on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) and yet, after six months or more, none are available yet on the PBS. These treatments are already available in many other countries, including the United States, Great Britain, Egypt and India.
"Access to these treatments is absolutely critical for Australians with hepatitis C. My community members with bleeding disorders and hepatitis C have been waiting for these treatments for too long. Every delay puts their health and their lives more at risk," said Gavin Finkelstein, HFA President. “Government funding is needed urgently to list these medicines on the PBS. These treatments can cure hepatitis C – and if they are not on the PBS, these treatments are just not affordable for most Australians with hepatitis C.”