On Monday 27 October our CEO attended a face to face Patient and Consumer Roundtable in Canberra with 10 other not-for-profit organisation. The Roundtable was not disease specific and included cancer and other conditions. The focus of the event was to discuss the impact of comparator selection in the Australian Health Technology Assessment (HTA) process. This includes examining how comparator selection influences timely access to innovative medicines in Australia.
Australian patients face delayed or unaffordable access to new medications available elsewhere, or no access altogether. Robust conversations were had about how the delays or inaccessibility affects patients – financially, socially, physically and psychologically. Several case studies were explored to demonstrate real world evidence with a spotlight on what was done for VHL and Belzutifan. System – level consequences and future consequences, including workforce, daily living costs and healthcare utilisation impacts were also considered.
From this event a report will be written and submitted to government which looks at comparator selection, lack of comparator and clinical trials.
