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Australia TGA/PBAC Approval → What are the jobs of the PBAC?

Even though their main goal is to review medications before they are included on the pharmaceutical benefits scheme, they undertake several other functions including:

  • Recommending medications to the Minister for Health for funding under the PBS, and whether the medicine is only available under special supply arrangements
  • Recommending vaccines to the Minister for health for the funding under the NIP
  • Recommend the circumstances in which a medicine be funded (i.e., restriction wording, access with authority
  • Advice the Minster of Health about the cost effectiveness of medications- value for money and overall budget implications
  • Advice on matters related to exempt items, combination items and therapeutic items
  • Advice on provisions of early supply

The committee will need to make a recommendation about the goods they review, the positive recommendations are passed onto the Australian Government Minister for Health. If the minister agrees to list these medications on the PBS, he will then decide on a date for when the medication will be added to the PBS. This is known as the “PBS listing date”. The medication is also expected to be available for appropriate distribution by this date.