Big drug companies have come under fire from the Federal Government for pushing expensive cancer medications that have limited benefit.

In an explosive submission to a Senate inquiry, the medical brains who decide which drugs get government subsidies have lashed out at some of the big pharmaceutical company's strategies.

The Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) typically deliberates behind closed doors but has taken the unusual step of making a public submission.

In the submission it complained that some companies push costly cancer drugs which add little to a patient's life expectancy.

For more details, go to: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-18/cancer-drugs-costly-strategies-under-fire/6327458?section=business