Henry Pike (Bowman, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

IKE () (): Fiasp is the fastest-working new-generation insulin available. For my constituents Jess, Cam and Tamara, it has significantly improved their quality of life. They are just three of over 14,000 Australians who rely on this drug. Without any consultation with these individuals—or any warning—the Labor government managed to drive itself into a dispute with the manufacturer by imposing a significant price cut on Fiasp. The price cut has made it no longer commercially viable to provide the medicine to market, resulting in this wonderful drug being slated for removal from the PBS. Today a script costs $7; when it's taken off the PBS it will cost $280.

Following a massive public backlash, the government has established a supply-only arrangement, but this will last only until September. Patients with a current prescription can keep buying the drug, and those with no prescription are urged to see their doctor before 1 April, just a few days from now. The government is trying to blame the manufacturer, but the fact is their price officer was and remains ridiculously low—much lower than what is offered for much older and less-effective medications. The Labor government has failed to keep this life-changing drug on the PBS. They have failed to reach an agreement with the manufacturer, and they have failed to consult with or even inform those affected families. Due to these failures, my constituents and thousands of others are left having to decide between paying exponentially more or using a less-effective treatment. Minister, fix this mess you've created before we get to September.