Rebekha Sharkie (Mayo, Centre Alliance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker—

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Members on my left will cease interjecting. The member for Mayo has the call.

Rebekha Sharkie (Mayo, Centre Alliance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Speaker. My question is to the Minister for Health. In a welcome move, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee recommended—

Opposition members interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Mayo will pause. Members on my left will cease interjecting. The member for Mayo is entitled to be heard.

Rebekha Sharkie (Mayo, Centre Alliance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you. My question is to the health minister. In a welcome move, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee recommended that cystic fibrosis medication Orkambi be added to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Minister, as you know, cystic fibrosis is a life-limiting condition. For eight-year-old Will Grue, in my electorate, it means different medications every day and several weeks each year in hospital. Orkambi increases the life expectancy of children and young people, but currently the medication is prohibitively expensive. Minister, would you please provide an update on when Orkambi will likely be listed on the PBS and therefore become available to children like Will?

Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to thank the member for Mayo for this question. She's been very sincere and longstanding in her advocacy for patients with cystic fibrosis, in particular for the listing of Orkambi. This is something which has been done across this chamber. I know that, amongst many others, the members for Moreton and Lilley have also made representations, but it's not confined to them. On this side of the chamber, I've had representations from the member for Boothby, the member for Higgins and the member for Forrest in particular, who has been a very strong advocate for young Connor in her electorate. What you say in terms of Will and what she says in terms of Connor and many others is sincerely held.

I'm really delighted that last Friday the PBAC announced that, after three previous assessments, on this occasion they had recommended the listing of Orkambi for cystic fibrosis patients. This is a medicine which will be listed for all patients aged six and above. There had been some speculation that, if it were to be successful, it would only be for those aged 12 and above. It is in fact for six and above.

We will move now as quickly as possible. I have already asked the department to begin discussions and to work on the listing process with the company, and indeed I have spoken with the company myself. We did that within the first day of the announcement of the PBAC. As a guide, I would indicate that last year we listed the drug Kalydeco. Kalydeco is another cystic fibrosis drug by the same company which involves treating beautiful young children. That was recommended, I believe, in January, it was announced in February and it was delivered in May. I think that provides a good guide, although we will try to do it at a faster pace, and we've already had a very strong and positive response from the company.

Cystic fibrosis is a horrific condition. It can shorten the lives of so many patients. It's a nightmare diagnosis for any parent and any young child. And so, to all of those parents who have advocated: I thank them for that. To all of the members in this House who have advocated: I thank them for that. Along with other medicines such as Kisqali, for breast cancer, and Spinraza, for SMA, and what we've done with Kalydeco, we will move heaven and earth to do this as quickly as possible, because I want this medicine to be in the hands of patients at the earliest possible time.