The annual BioPharmaDispatch conference is just four weeks away, and the close-to-finalised program is now available.
The one-day event will take place in Sydney on 15 May, with registration available online. Registration is complimentary for patients and representatives of patient groups.
The event provides a unique forum for the sector, patients and patient groups to discuss the issues impacting the policy framework for access to healthcare technologies in Australia and New Zealand.
The program for the 2023 event has been widened to reflect the increasing alignment of challenges across the biopharmaceutical, medical technology and diagnostic sectors.
It has also been constructed to maximise networking opportunities.
The event opens with a formal address by Australia's shadow health minister Senator Anne Ruston. Health minister Mark Butler will provide opening remarks.
Senator Ruston served for three years as a Cabinet minister in the former Coalition government and would have served as health minister had it won last year's federal election. The senator from South Australia was appointed shadow health minister after the election.
She will be joined by a range of other speakers discussing the Albanese Government's first year in office, its 2023-24 Budget, and the range of other issues impacting patient access to health technologies. These include the health technology assessment review, reform of the Prostheses List, and even attempted tenders.
The current list of speakers also includes Adam Roach (BeiGene), Giulia Jones (Pain Australia), Dr Malcolm Mulholland (Patient Voice Aotearoa), Pat Williams (Edwards Lifesciences), Ian Burgess (Medical Technology Association of Australia), Kate Holliday (Centre for Community-Driven Research), Richard Vines (Rare Cancers Australia), Ruth Colagiuri AM (Juvenile Arthritis Foundation Australia), Professor Andrew Wilson (Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee), Katherine Burchfield (former CEO of NPS MedicineWise) and Jaime McCoy (Gilead).