The Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC), a statutory body of medical experts, is being attacked by Pfizer. Using a lot of legal muscle, the powerful multi-national drug company insists that its impotence drug Viagra be subsidised, at tax-payers expense, for easy availability.

"There is a confusion here about the nature of the PBAC" said Dr Peter Davoren, National President of the Doctors Reform Society.

"When the PBAC was set up nearly 50 years ago, certain important life saving drugs, like antibiotics needed to be subsidised so that doctors could prescribe them where they were essential. The Committee's job has always been to make important life-saving medication affordable" said Dr Davoren. "It was never meant to facilitate expensive drug products simply because they were on the market"

"It is the responsibility of our Health Departments to spend our money wisely to deliver health care efficiently and fairly. That's why we have such bodies as the PBAC to advise them. If the current legal challenge regarding Viagra were successful a flood of such cases may follow." said Dr Davoren. 11 April, 2000

CONTACTS:

Dr Peter Davoren
National President, Doctors Reform Society

Dr Con Costa
National Vice President, Doctors Reform Society

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