For about 50 years the Oz govt has produced a "yellow book" of drugs that it
will subsidise. Doctors and patients are free to use other drugs, but full
market price prevails.
The drugs in the "yellow book" are chosen because they are useful and
effective. The actual members of a class (eg ACEI) can be chosen on the
basis of price. The government twists the drug co's arms - reduce your price
or you'll not be on our list. Drug companies say "so what - Australia is
only 1% of the world market", but usually reduce their price.
Some drugs may only be precribed for certain conditions.
The drugs on the list are well known to all GPs on this forum. Newcomers (eg
Viagra) are not added to the list until well proven (ie some lobbying occurs
and the price falls!). Hospitals have a wider list which includes rarer
chemotherapeutic agents etc.
The list is accepted by both sides of politics and by the public - most of
whom have known nothing else.
And despite this restricted list, the government moans about the billions it
costs each year.
Perhaps the list system is easier to implement here because no major drug
company is based in Oz. Glaxo might have some friends in Westminster.
Does that help the good doctor?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Stephen Crawshaw
Townsville, Australia.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-----Original Message-----
From: Ahmad Risk
Subject: Re: Re[2]: PCG / LHCC Prescribing Budgets scam
>
>Would Crawshaw please explain to us how it works in Oz?
>
>Risk
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