30 October 2020 - A fascinating insight from the first round of Public Summary Documents from the July 2020 PBAC meeting.

"The PBAC recommended the listing of Panadol 10 on the condition that it only be supplied through the Palliative Care schedule, on the same conditions as the current Panadol 24.

The PBAC noted the importance of continued access to paracetamol suppository products for a small, targeted group of palliative care patients for whom the product is currently subsidised.

The PBAC noted additional correspondence received from GSK advising that the increased cost of goods for Panadol 10 compared with Panadol 24 was due to manufacturing costs and increased warehouse and distribution costs.

Taking into account all of the submissions made to it, the PBAC considered that it was not possible to ascertain a cost effectiveness premium for Panadol 10 over Panadol 24. However, noting the high clinical need for a small and targeted palliative care patient population and that manufacture of Panadol 24 would cease in December 2020, the PBAC pragmatically advised that a premium above the current unit price across both pack sizes was appropriate. The PBAC advised that it would be appropriate that the Department negotiate the price of Panadol 24 to align with the new proposed proportional price for this pharmaceutical item, consistent with the requirements of Section 85D of the Act. The PBAC noted that this was acceptable in the context of a premium that would be no more than 15% over the current per unit price, and treated a very small and high need patient group."

Read PBAC Public Summary Document for paracetamol