Drug policy down under: Australia's pharmaceutical benefits scheme

Australia has had a government subsi dized universal system of pharmaceutical provision for 50 years. The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) consumes around 14 percent of total government health care expenditures and has grown substantially in both range of drugs covered, and expen diture since it was first introduced in 1950. It incorporates patient copayments (with dif ferentials for the general population compared with concessional beneficiaries). Prior to listing a drug on the PBS it is sub ject to a rigorous cost-ef fectiveness analysis