Robert Simms (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) the Council of Australian Governments has agreed to a target to end new HIV infections in Australia by 2020,

(ii) in 2014, there were 1 080 infections in Australia with about 750 of these amongst sex between men,

(iii) each new infection and lifelong treatment brings significant health and personal impacts, with lifelong costs estimated at $200 000 to $300 000 per person,

(iv) there is now a strong evidence base and consensus amongst Australian non government organisations in this area that pre exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) along with rapid HIV tests and home self-tests are vital to add to the prevention tools currently available, and

(v) France is the latest jurisdiction to announce wide scale access to PrEP, with many other cities and states already having arrangements in place; and

(b) calls on the Government to:

(i) demonstrate leadership on HIV by urgently removing regulatory barriers to access to PrEP, rapid HIV tests and home self-tests, and

(ii) as an interim measure, urgently explore policy options, including expanded trials in states and territories, to enable access to these important prevention tools.

Scott Ryan (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Gavin Marshall (Victoria, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Scott Ryan (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Australian government is committed to the prevention, testing and treatment of HIV in Australia and delivering on the actions and objections of the Seventh National HIV Strategy 2014-2017. To extend the use of a medicine already registered on the Australian register of therapeutic goods to include additional clinical indications such as for pre-exposure prophylactic use, it is necessary for the sponsor of that product to submit an application to the Therapeutic Goods Administration. Neither the TGA nor the Australian government is able to compel a sponsor to submit such an application. There are demonstration and trial projects underway in several states that will provide an important evidence base with which to discuss and draft a national policy regarding pre-exposure prophylactic use.

Question agreed to.