Roche is focused on increasing broad access to medicines and diagnostic tests, as well as providing support to patients in the following areas:

  • disease awareness for patients

  • medical education for healthcare professionals

  • gaining regulatory approval through the Therapeutics Goods Administration (TGA)

  • reducing costs for patients for our medicines via the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) and for our diagnostic tests via the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS)

Ensuring patients have access to healthcare is a shared responsibility requiring many stakeholders to work together.

The PBS and MBS have delivered broad access to medicines and diagnostic tests for generations of Australians, and Roche recognises the importance of their roles. Roche supports the continued reform of these schemes to ensure the value of each medicine and diagnostic test is assessed on a broad range of factors, such as improved health outcomes, productivity gains, healthcare efficiency and addressing an unmet need.

We believe that continued investment in the PBS and MBS needs to be sustainable, and growth should be in line with the economic resources of Australia and the needs of an ageing population.

Input from individuals and patient groups is important to help the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) understand the unmet needs of patients when they are considering a recommendation to the Government for listing a medicine on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).

The PBAC generally meets three times a year and theis available on their website.

All members of the public, including patients, carers, healthcare professionals and members of patient groups canwhen a submission is considered.

Roche recognises that patients sometimes need access to medicines outside of the established access pathways, such as for life-threatening diseases with limited approved options or for approved medicines not listed on the PBS or available via public hospitals. We realise that the absence of public funding for a prescribed medicine may represent a significant financial burden and difficult choice for many patients and their families. In situations where there is no public funding, Roche may be able to assist patients with alternative mechanisms of access to medicines, such as providing subsidies. All requests for access in these circumstances must come to Roche via a patient’s treating healthcare professional.

Roche Products Pty Limited ABN 70 000 132 865 | Roche Diagnostics Australia Pty Limited ABN 29 003 001 205 | Roche Diabetes Care Australia Pty Limited ABN 69 602 140 278. This website may contain information about products that are not registered for use in your country of residence and may not comply with applicable laws or regulations in that country. We do not take any responsibility for accessing such information in those circumstances. To report a suspected side effect or product complaint associated with the use of a Roche product, visitor contact Roche Patient Safety atRoche acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia. We pay our respects to Elders past and present.