The 'Dispatched' Podcast

The latest episode of 'The Dispatched Podcast' discusses Labor's call for the Coalition to match its commitment to a national takeover of newborn screening and why the health technology assessment review cannot start until the National Medicines Policy review is restarted and finished.

In this week's episode, the 'Dispatched Podcast' discusses Labor's commitment to a national takeover of newborn screening. Why is there a need for change? What does the change mean for Australian families and how did we ever get into this situation?

What is in Budget 2022-23 and what is not. The lack of action on medicines affordability, funding for pre-symptomatic treatments but not screening for the disease and how the PBS forecast is money out but uncertain about money back in.

The political and policy condescension of patients needs to stop. The health technology assessment review has been called one of the biggest health reforms in the past 30 years. What is the competition and what will it need to achieve to sit alongside these major reforms? The federal government is about to deliver its pre-election 2022-23 Budget. What has changed and what to expect? What was it li...

The co-founder and chair of Better Access Australia, Felicity McNeill PSM, discusses the organisation's call for a delay in the National Medicines Policy review following the recent release of the revised document. She also says the upcoming 2022-23 Budget and federal election is an opportunity for political leaders to consider the rising challenge of medicines affordability.

BioPharmaDispatch is finishing 2021 with a podcast with Nicole Cooper of Convalis Consulting. Ms Cooper is approaching the fifth anniversary of her diagnosis with an advanced form of cancer. She talks ahead of her latest round of treatment and urges decision-makers to do better on understanding and supporting the experience and journey of individual patients.

The general manager and country president of Novartis Pharmaceuticals Australia and NZ, Richard Tew, says there are actions the government can take now to enhance the eco-system for biopharmaceutical innovation. Mr Tew says decision-making is characterised by collaboration and positive intent but it is just not designed for the new technologies already emerging from company pipelines.

The co-chairs of the Pharma Australia Inclusion Group, J&J's Fiona Sheppard and Pfizer's Lee Davelaar, discuss their personal journeys on diversity and inclusion, the group's activities in 2021, including how it supports companies, and plans for next year.

Jody Fassina of Insight Strategy shares his thoughts on today's Budget update and the upcoming federal election. He discusses the implications for stakeholders, including the pharmaceutical sector, the new politics of health and even makes an early prediction on the result.

Amgen's director of value, access and policy, Ian Noble, says Australia needs a clear vision to address the 820-day medicines 'access gap'.He says Amgen was disappointed with the report of the recent parliamentary inquiry and that a vision and agreed principles are essential to ensuring the pending health technology assessment review avoids becoming just another negotiation and actu...

We discuss the claim Australia's most important document for medicines policy does not require a vision or overarching objective and why the National Medicines Policy review so far says everything people need to know about the problems afflicting PBS decision-making.

Dr Brendan Shaw of Shawview Consulting discusses the findings of his report commissioned by Johnson & Johnson on 'Getting Australia to the front of the queue' when it comes to access to new medicines and medical technologies. Dr Shaw says a key lesson of the COVID-19 pandemic has been the reality of a global queue for new technologies, including vaccines. He says the experience means...

The Senate backed the enabling legislation for the new PBS pricing framework but only after questioning from a key crossbencher that revealed more about the secret list of medicines used to calculate the $1.9 billion in savings. We also discuss the expected announcement of Greg Hunt's retirement and what about his successor will provide a very important signal on the government's plan fo...

The chief executive of Medicines Australia, Liz de Somer, discussed the report of the parliamentary inquiry into approval processes for new medicines and novel medical technologies, how the recommendations relate to the association's new agreement with the federal government and looks ahead to what will be a very busy 2022.

BeiGene's vice president of commercial for the Asia Pacific region Adam Roach discusses his background, career to date, disruption, as well as the company's plans for Australia and the region. He also shares his thoughts on some of the issues impacting medicines reimbursement, decision-making and patients.

BioPharmaDispatch discusses the report of the parliamentary inquiry into approval processes for new medicines and novel medical technologies with Better Access Australia co-founder and chair Felicity McNeill. We discuss the recommendations, the lack of any overarching objective and what the raft of proposed processes and reviews actually mean.

The co-founder and CEO of Rare Cancers Australia speaks with BioPharmaDispatch ahead of the organisation's CanForum event. He discusses its new report on the 'rights and responsibilities' of patients in Australia's health system and how to give real meaning to the notion of 'patient centricity'.

Nicole Cooper is the managing director of change management company Convalis Consulting. She is also a patient living with advanced colorectal cancer. She discusses her experiences of the health system, submission to the National Medicines Policy review and the urgent need for connection between decision-making and the lived experience of patients.