AdPha welcomes "win for all Australians" PBS news

Advanced Pharmacy Australia (AdPha) has welcomed the Australian Government’s announcement of an additional cost-of-living health measure that will ensure over 400,000 Australians each week pay no more than $25 in co-payments for Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) medicines.

“It is pleasing to see health remain high on the Albanese government’s agenda with this morning’s announcement, following soon after its recent announced changes to bulk billing,” AdPha Chief Executive Kristin Michaels said on 20 March. “Both measures will bring relief to household budgets, making a significant difference to the lives of Australians while making our health systems stronger.”

The announcement was made by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler at the Australian Pharmacy Professional Conference. AdPha — which was part of a coalition of more than 20 health and community groups joining forces in a call to action to make medicines more affordable — commended the Pharmacy Guild of Australia for its leadership in bringing the election pledge to fruition.

“Hospital pharmacists around the country are stretched in their crucial roles. Over 250,000 Australians are admitted to hospitals each year due to preventable medication-related harm which can be reduced with more affordable medicines,” Michaels said. “We look forward to this co-payment reduction being implemented from 1 January 2026 as flagged by the Prime Minister, bringing PBS co-payments down to their lowest in over 20 years.”

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