Media contributions
1Media contributions
Title US tariff threats spark medicine approvals debate Degree of recognition National Media name/outlet NewsGP Media type Web Country/Territory Australia Date 8/08/25 Description Australian Government says speeding up approvals process is on the agenda as US tariff threats and manufacturing concerns reach new heights....
With approximately 67% of Australians relying on the PBS, Professor Mark Morgan, Chair of the RACGP Expert Committee – Quality Care, said it is important Australia doesn’t go the way of the US.
‘In the US, patients end up paying significantly more for medicines – which is a tax on being unwell,’ he told newsGP.
‘People have to make difficult choices about which medicines they can afford to buy.
‘Nobody wants to see Australian patients needing to take out mortgages to pay for essential medicines. Nobody wants to see Australians making difficult decisions between food and medicines.’...
However, Professor Morgan fears the pressure being exerted by President Trump and US pharmaceutical companies is being fuelled by the desire to have imported medicines on shelves faster by bypassing the rigorous safety protocols Australia has in place.
‘Australia could shorten this time frame to give earlier access to new medicines for Australian patients if the TGA and PBAC processes happened in parallel and if additional PBAC bodies were set up. Then both patients and pharmaceutical companies would be better off without any drop in standards,’ he said.
‘[But] it is important for Australia to remain independent making these decisions, even if US pharmaceutical giants would rather we allowed all their products to be sold to Australian patients.’
But with the dual challenges of US disinvestment in research and the destruction of trading relationships Professor Morgan has greater concerns about the long-term value proposition of research and development of pharmaceuticals.
‘The rate of advancement of medical science may take a downturn,’ he said.
‘We might need to explore funding research and development of low-volume, high-impact pharmaceuticals instead of relying on profit form international sales to recoup the cost.
‘This is particularly the case for medicines that will be used in small amounts.’
With growing media coverage over the prospect of these tariffs being imposed, however, patients who heavily rely on the PBS may become increasingly concerned about the possible impact on access. Professor Morgan said GPs are in a position to reassure patients.
‘The Australian Government has publicly said that PBS is not open to negotiation,’ he said.
‘We can be reassuring to our patients that medicine availability will not grind to a halt or become more expensive.’Producer/Author Anastasia Tsirtsakis URL https://www1.racgp.org.au/newsgp/professional/us-tariff-threats-spark-medicine-approvals-debate Persons Mark Morgan