Australians want more investment in the PBS

(UNDER EMBARGO) SYDNEY, 4 August 2025 – Australians believe there should be more investment in the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) to support access to innovative, lifesaving and life-changing medicines, according to new research# .

Nearly 9 in 10 respondents (89%) in the Future of Medicines Access Poll believe more investment by the Australian Government is needed1 , and 75 per cent of respondents support a higher proportion of their taxes being used to fund medicines.

The attitudinal research commissioned by AbbVie, which focused on understanding people’s perceptions, attitudes and experiences of the PBS, found that 93 percent of those surveyed agreed the PBS was critical to the overall health of Australians1 .

Further to this, there is recognition of the need for improvement, with 88 percent agreeing that it should be strengthened to meet the changing needs of the community into the future¹.

While overall health expenditure is growing, net spend* on the PBS as a proportion of health has declined from 14% to 12% over the last decade2 .

As a share of total health spending, Australia spends less on medicines compared to other countries including Japan, Germany, Canada and Korea, ranking 25th out of 33 OECD countries3 .

Nathalie McNeil, General Manager of AbbVie Australia and New Zealand, emphasised the urgency of reforms to improve medicines access: “AbbVie’s Future of Medicines Access Poll holds the mirror up, showing both the support we have for the PBS and critical need for the system to evolve.

The PBS is a cornerstone of Australian public health, reflecting our commitment to access to medicines. However, without significant reform and more investment, we risk falling further behind globally and failing Australians.”

“We know there are extensive and unacceptable delays from when a medicine is first registered in Australia and it being listed on the PBS. We also know that some medicines aren’t making it to Australia at all.

We rank 16th out of 20 OECD countries in terms of access to reimbursed new medicines4 .

As Australians we need to ask ourselves, is this good enough?”, Ms McNeil said. Over 43 per cent of respondents said they have had to pay full price for a prescription medicine not covered by the PBS1 , with 15 percent paying at least $100, and in some cases more than $5000 out of pocket1 .

10% of people surveyed claimed they have had to borrow money, fundraise or take on extra work to afford their medicines1 .

Two thirds of respondents believe Australia’s health system is good in comparison with the rest of the world, however, 64 percent of respondents claimed they would be willing to move (17 percent) or consider moving (47 percent) to another country to access medicines not available in Australia. 

Lisa Robins, CEO of Patients Australia commented, “At Patients Australia, we believe no one should have to wait for the care they need, when the care is available. That’s why we’re calling for greater investment in the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) and meaningful reform of the health technology assessment (HTA) process - to ensure all Australians can access the best medicines, when they need them, at a price they can afford.

This is about health, hope, productivity, dignity, and time with loved ones. Medicines can keep people out of hospital, help them return to work, and give families more moments together. We have a chance to get this right - for patients today and generations to come. Let’s not wait. Let’s act." Ms McNeil added, “As innovation and discovery in medicines development continues to propel forward, Australians are waiting. Government decision-makers must recognise the health, economic and societal benefits delivered by medicines and ensure our system does not delay or deny Australians access to the world’s most innovative medicines. We are committed to collaborating with the sector to ensure a modern, agile and stronger medicines system.” AbbVie remains a steadfast supporter of the PBS, advocating for reforms to help secure access to medicines for all Australians in need. Investment in the PBS is an investment in Australia’s future,” she said.

1. AbbVie Data on File – Future Medicines Access Survey Data. May 2025. CLA-AU-250014
2. AbbVie Data on File – PBS Spending Trends. June 2025. CLA-AU-250016
3. OECD - https://dataexplorer.oecd.org/vis?lc=en&pg=0&snb=1&vw=br&df[ds]=dsDisseminateFinalDMZ&df[id]=DSD_SHA%40DF_SHA&df[ag]=OECD.ELS.HD&df[vs]= &pd=2021%2C2021&dq=USA%2BGBR%2BTUR%2BCHE%2BSWE%2BESP%2BSVN%2BSVK%2BPRT%2BPOL%2BNOR%2BNZL%2BNLD%2BMEX%2B LUX%2BLTU%2BLVA%2BKOR%2BJPN%2BITA%2BISR%2BIRL%2BISL%2BHUN%2BGRC%2BDEU%2BFRA%2BFIN%2BEST%2BDNK%2BCZE%2BCRI%2 BCOL%2BCHL%2BCAN%2BBEL%2BAUT%2BAUS.A.EXP_HEALTH.PT_EXP_HLTH.HF1..HC51.._T...&ly[rw]=REF_AREA&to[TIME_PERIOD]=false&lb=i d
4. Medicines Australia – Medicines Matter Report 2022. Accessed June 2025. https://www.medicinesaustralia.com.au/wpcontent/uploads/sites/65/2023/04/Medicines-Matter-2022-FINAL.pdf

AbbVie’s mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people’s lives across several key therapeutic areas: immunology, oncology, neuroscience, eye care, virology, and gastroenterology, in addition to products and services across its Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com.au. Follow @abbvie_AU on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or our LinkedIn page. 

For further information, contact:

Adam Connolly, Apollo Communications -
Sam Pearson, AbbVie – 0418 419 549;
[email protected]

 AU-ABBV-250133