The 'Dispatched' Podcast

There was quite a bit of eminence this week in the public discussion about access to health technologies. Some personal and wider reflections on the role of prejudice in funding and reimbursement deci...

28 Nov 202439min

We draw a line between some very careful use of language by small 'g' government officials that clearly connects some recent processes and events. It could be a coincidence, but it's remarkable and ve...

22 Nov 202451min

It's another week of debate over PBS deferrals. Unfortunately, there appears to be an effort to limit public discussion. Given the obvious risk to patients and the implications for the access agenda, ...

1 Nov 202427min

The health department calls them 'holdover' submissions, but they're deferrals. Its strange language does not change the fact that this situation, decided without consultation, could have negative and...

24 Okt 202444min

A special edition focused on the disappointing and unacceptable outcome on the proposed simplified and faster process for immunotherapies. The institution has revealed a disturbing attitude to patient...

22 Okt 202437min

After a short break, we are back, and there is a lot to discuss. Recommendations to fund unapproved and unapprovable therapeutic interventions, continued disappointment on newborn screening, and a pro...

18 Okt 20241h 1min

A significant structural change in the PBS, which the Government attempted to blunt with 60-day dispensed quantities, is arguably the main growth driver in spending on the program. We discuss the chan...

3 Okt 202427min

The two-sided coin that is the access debate. The competing narratives that might be confusing Health Minister Mark Butler. Governance is an arcane issue, but it matters, and a different approach coul...

26 Sep 202441min