Health Minister Sussan Ley today announced the appointment of Professor Andrew Wilson as the new Chair of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC).

“I congratulate Professor Wilson on his appointment and look forward to continuing to receive the sound scientific advice that the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee is renowned for,” Ms Ley said.

“The PBAC’s advice enables the Government to improve the listing of drugs on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) at a price that individuals and community can afford.”

Ms Ley also announced that new legislation would be introduced shortly that would seek to streamline the operations of the PBAC in recognition of an increasing workload of complex matters that the committee is regularly asked to consider.

The new legislation will propose to increase the PBAC membership from 18 to 21, to create a new Deputy Chair position and to increase flexibility for the appointments to both the Chair and the Deputy Chair positions could be made on either full-time or part-time basis.

For more details, go to: http://www.health.gov.au/internet/ministers/publishing.nsf/Content/health-mediarel-yr2015-ley057.htm