Tony Zappia (Makin, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Health and Aged Care. How is the Albanese Labor government making medicines cheaper for all Australians, including providing Australian mums and newborn babies free access to important vaccinations? Why are cheaper medicines such a high priority for the Albanese government?

Mark Butler (Hindmarsh, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank my friend for that question. He knows that we have one of the best medicine systems in the world, and he promised at the last election to make it even better and, importantly, to make it cheaper.

In a bit over two years we've made 250 or more new or expanded listings to the PBS, giving Australians access to some of the world's best treatment at affordable PBS prices. We've also listed new vaccines on the National Immunisation Program. Twelve months ago we introduced the most comprehensive protection program against shingles. Since then more than 1.6 million older Australians have received the new shingrix vaccine. Before then, they were paying $560 each. Now they get it for free, saving older Australians $900 million in just 12 months.

Last Sunday, as the member indicates, I announced another world-leading vaccination program, this time protecting little babies against RSV. RSV is the leading cause of hospitalisation for babies. An average winter will see around 12,000 babies put into hospital, a quarter of whom will spend time in the intensive care unit. But now pregnant mothers will have access to a new highly effective vaccine to take in their third trimester, which will give them protection but importantly give their newborn babies protection for several months in their new life. Usually, that would cost the family $300, but now it will be completely free. All states will also now provide a backup protection for families who haven't taken the vaccine before birth by giving them a treatment when the baby is born, in the first few days.

Catherine Hughes, who is the terrific founder and director of the Immunisation Foundation of Australia, joined me at the announcement of this program at the Women's and Children's Hospital in Adelaide where she said: 'This is a monumental milestone for preventative health and makes Australia a world leader in RSV protection.' This new program is going to cut the annual hospitalisation of babies due to RSV from the current 12,000, by more than 10,000. That's 10,000 families who will be relieved of the trauma, the stress and the anxiety of their precious newborn babies, usually only a few months old, who are hospitalised in their first few months—all while helping relieve the enormous pressure that we know our hardworking public hospitals have due to respiratory illness during winter.

Our government is absolutely committed to listing new medicines and vaccines. And we're committed to making them cheaper, because we know that that's not only good for the hip pocket; it's, importantly, really good for their health as well.

Richard Marles (Corio, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.