4 May 2016 - The PBS expenditure and prescriptions report 2014-15 is now available.

Government pharmaceutical benefits expenditure on accrual accounting basis for the year ending 30 June 2015 totalled $9,072.1 million, compared with $9,148.5 million for the previous year. This is a 0.8% decrease.

Total PBS prescription volumes increased by 0.8% to a total of 211.4 million, compared to 209.8 million for the previous year.

Government expenditure amounted to 82.7% of the total cost of PBS prescriptions. The remainder was patient contributions that amounted to $1,484.6 million, down from $1,545.1 million in the previous twelve-month period.

The average dispensed price per prescription of PBS medicines decreased to $40.52 for the year ending June 2015 ($42.20 for the year ending June 2014). The average government cost of these scripts was $33.48 for the same period ($34.82 to June 2014).

The three drugs with the highest cost to government were adalimumab ($313.0 million), rosuvastatin calcium ($215.9 million) and fluticasone propionate with salmeterol xinafoate ($177.2 million). The PBS drugs most frequently dispensed were atorvastatin calcium, followed by rosuvastatin calcium and esomeprazole.

For more details, go to: http://www.pbs.gov.au/info/statistics/pbs-expenditure-prescriptions-30-june-2015#Summary