Canberra. Up to three million patients could receive hip pocket relief and earlier access to life changing
therapies, if budget reforms proposed by the peak body for more affordable medicines, are adopted by the Australian Government.
In its 2025-2026 pre-budget submission, the Generic and Biosimilar Medicines Association (GBMA), prioritised the needs of those patients with complex conditions, such as Rheumatoid Arthritis, Crohn’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis and cancer1. With 61% of Australians struggling with the burden of one or more chronic conditions, timely access to more affordable treatment is critical.
GBMA’s proposed reforms focus on three core areas:
- Reducing out-of-pocket costs for patients – halving the PBS co-payment, for patients who opt for a biosimilar. This reform will deliver savings of up to $190 per year per patient, potentially benefiting up to 220,000 Australians each month.
- Early intervention and increased patient access – sparing patients the pain and distress by offering a biologic earlier in their treatment journey, while reducing the administrative burden for clinicians.
- Strengthening biosimilar uptake – treatment-naïve patients to be prescribed biosimilars, when available, to reduce healthcare costs to the patient and taxpayers. This is a recommendation in line with current Government policy for Biosimilar uptake drivers.2
GBMA’s Independent Chair, Hon. Professor Jane Halton AO PSM, says tapping the health and fiscal benefits of biosimilars is more important now, than ever.
“We know 11% of Australians in disadvantaged communities are delaying or going without their prescription medicines3,” says Professor Halton. “We should also be doing more to mobilise up to $1.5 billion in savings, expected over the next five years, with the arrival of more biosimilar medicines into the Australian market.”
The GBMA is also collaborating with the Australian Patient Advocacy Alliance (APAA) to identify how these savings from biosimilar medicines can be channelled into priority chronic disease-related initiatives.
The CEO of the GBMA, Ms Marnie Peterson, says with chronic disease costing Australian taxpayers $82 billion annually4, it is essential to implement policies that not only provide immediate cost-of-living relief to struggling patients but also to secure the future of Australia’s medicine supply.
“A robust biosimilar market, underpinned by effective policies, will deliver unprecedented financial and health benefits to vulnerable patients, without impacting an already overwhelmed health system,” Ms Peterson says.
GBMA urges both parties to commit to these reforms in the upcoming Federal election, to ensure that all Australians can access the more affordable medicines they need, when they need them.
Media inquiries: Jannette Cotterell Executive Counsel Australia
+61 419 204 059
jcotterell@executivecounsel.com.au
ABOUT GBMA
The Generic and Biosimilar Medicines Association (GBMA) is the peak representative body of generic and biosimilar medicine suppliers in Australia. Its members ensure that all Australians are offered the highest quality generic and biosimilar medicines in the world whilst providing affordable community health outcomes that benefit all Australians.
ABOUT BIOSIMILARS2
Biosimilar medicines are highly similar versions of the original, or ‘reference’, brand of a biological medicine. They are subject to the same regulatory standards and are equally safe and effective at treating the conditions as the original biological medicine.3
Biosimilar brands of medicine come onto the market after the patent for the equivalent reference brand of a biological medicine has expired. They provide more brand options for the same clinical results and introduce competition into the medicines market. They have been available in use for more than 15 years.
- Biosimilar Medicines Regulation. Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA)
- https://www.pbs.gov.au/info/general/biosimilars
- https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/health-services/patient-experiences/latest-release
- https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/health-welfare-expenditure/health-system-spending-on-disease-and-injury-aus/contents/comparison-with-2021-22-and-historical-datattps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1860592/
