28 September 2016 - Johnson & Johnson Medical’s Australian head, Gavin Fox-Smith, has defended his sector, which is facing intense scrutiny over the price of devices, saying it is at the centre of the most important health policies and has earned its seat at the table.

Mr Fox-Smith, managing director of US giant Johnson and Johnson’s Australian subsidiary focused on medical devices, called on the sector to unite as one voice to fight what he said was a push by private health insurers to cut the price of the devices they sell.

“It is more important than ever that industry comes together and speaks with one voice to our stakeholders, including government, patients and clinicians,” he said.

“We continue to face a private health insurance industry actively demanding the government make cuts to the benefits on the Prostheses List. We remain optimistic that decision-makers have listened to our evidence-based arguments that put patient welfare first. But we do know the government is committed to looking at the benefits on the Prostheses List.”

Read The Australian article