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Expert Reaction
These comments have been collated by the Science Media Centre to provide a variety of expert perspectives on this issue. Feel free to use these quotes in your stories. Views expressed are the personal opinions of the experts named. They do not represent the views of the SMC or any other organisation unless specifically stated.
Professor Robert Booy is an infectious diseases and immunisation expert at the Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance, University of Sydney and The Children’s Hospital at Westmead.
It is disappointing that the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee has again not recommended adding this important vaccine to the PBS. The UK has recommended adding it to the NHS and is rolling it out from next week, so whatever reservations the PBAC has they are not shared globally.
The UK has also managed to negotiate a low price for this vaccine from the manufacturers and we may be able to use this in the future to get a better price locally as well.
I believe the PBAC underestimate the impact of this disease, using “discounting rates” to determine cost effectiveness in a way that underestimates the disease in terms of disability.
I also believe the long term impact of this disease has been underestimated. I am treating patients who are still experiencing health impacts from meningococcal B more than 10 years down the line.
I would like to see this issue redebated in Australia and see Australian families have access to this vaccine at a low price.
The only way we will truly know if it works and is cost effective, is by using it. The UK experience over the next 6 months will hopefully provide the final piece of evidence to convince the PBAC to provide this vaccine to Australian families on the PBS.
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