Arabic version: ليلي تسعى إلى اتفاق جديد لإدراج مونجارو في PBS

According to ABC News, Eli Lilly chief executive David Ricks says the company remains open to an agreement with the Australian government to list diabetes and weight-loss drug Mounjaro on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). Mounjaro is not yet available through the PBS.

The US-based pharmaceutical company previously walked away from a proposed PBS listing following a dispute over price. Although the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee had recommended the medicine, Eli Lilly said the price conditions proposed by the government were “unrealistic and unviable”. The company said the proposed price was significantly lower than any other reimbursed price globally.

Ricks told ABC program 7.30 that the central issue was how Australia valued the medicine. He said the company did not place all responsibility on the government and was willing to consider flexible or adaptive arrangements. However, he said price would remain a key issue, arguing that Australian pricing could have effects in other markets and on the company’s ability to reinvest in research and development.

Federal Health Minister Mark Butler said in April that negotiations over a PBS listing involved robust discussions between multinational drug companies and the federal government. He said those negotiations were an important reason Australia had a successful and sustainable PBS. Ricks said Eli Lilly wanted Mounjaro listed, but that the company was not interested in access at any price point.

Ricks also commented on a US executive order issued by President Donald Trump that called for American children to be immunised against fewer diseases. He said he had not read all the details, but hoped the scientific community would raise questions. He said evidence was needed before changes were made to the vaccination schedule, particularly regarding claims linking vaccination and autism, for which the report said there is no evidence.