Australia TGA/PBAC Approval → What is the PBS?

The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) has existed since 1948 and started out as a scheme to provide free medications to pensioners, and only included a limited list of “life saving and disease preventing” medications that were available to the wider community free of charge.

It has now developed into a national scheme that aims to provide timely, reliable and affordable medication to all Australian residents who hold a current Medicare card. The list of drugs available on the PBS has expanded drastically and now includes medicines used for most medical conditions.

The PBS Schedule lists all medicines available at a subsidised price. The schedule is part of a wider scheme that is managed by Australia’s Department of Health. The list is available online for public view and the search will allow patients to gain information about:

• All the medications listed on the PBS
• Information on the conditions of use for prescribing PBS medicines
• Consumer information on prescribed medications
• What you can expect to pay for medications

Certain health care professionals such as dentists and optometrists have restrictions on what they can prescribed for government subsidised price. There are different schedules that outline the medication these health care professionals can prescribe for a subsidised price.