The expert body that recommends drugs for subsidy has hit back at a pharmaceutical industry push to fast-track listings for new cancer medicines.

In its submission to a Senate inquiry on the availability of new cancer drugs, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee says bypassing its usual process to deliver faster access to cancer drugs would "greatly increase the cost to the community and diminish the sustainability of the (Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme) without any commensurate gain in health outcomes".

Medicines Australia, which represents pharmaceutical companies, told the inquiry Australian patients wait longer to get subsidised access to cancer medicines than their counterparts in the United Kingdom, Canada, France and Germany.

Medicines Australia says the system used by Australia to assess value for money in new medicines was outdated, and changes were needed to speed up the listing process for cancer drugs.

"Patients with cancer do not have time to wait to get access to new medicines," the Medicines Australia submission said.

For more details, go to: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/expert-committee-hits-back-at-industry-push-to-fasttrack-listings-for-cancer-drugs-20150317-1m1hmb.html