PBAC Update March 2026
Page last updated: 7 April 2026
The PBAC update following the March 2026 PBAC meeting is now available on the PBS website. This update includes information on consumer and clinician input and involvement, out‑of‑session activities, the joint Drug Utilisation Sub‑Committee (DUSC) and Economics Sub‑Committee (ESC) meeting, and PBS restrictions for listings of medicines for gastrointestinal disease.
Establishment of Joint DUSC–ESC Meetings
As noted in the March 2026 PBAC update, the joint DUSC-ESC meeting is to be formally adopted in an ongoing manner following the positive findings of the expanded pilot.
A pilot of joint DUSC–ESC discussions was first conducted during the July 2025 PBAC cycle, where a small number of submission items were considered jointly and a single set of advice was provided to sponsors and the PBAC. Feedback from sponsors and committee members was generally positive, noting improved alignment across utilisation, clinical, economic and financial considerations.
Building on this experience, an expanded pilot was undertaken during the March 2026 PBAC cycle, where all items allocated to both DUSC and ESC were considered in joint discussion.
This expanded pilot identified several benefits including:
- improved alignment across clinical, economic and financial considerations
- more streamlined and coordinated discussions
- reduced duplication across committees
- earlier access to consultation input for ESC members.
What this means for future PBAC cycles
Under the joint DUSC–ESC meeting model:
- Submission items allocated for consideration by both DUSC and ESC will be discussed jointly.
- DUSC and ESC advice for these items will be provided in a single, joint advice document, rather than separate committee advice.
- ESC meeting dates have been brought forward to align with DUSC meetings; however, processes and timelines for sponsors will not change.
- DUSC will continue to undertake its non‑submission‑related work in meetings held outside the joint discussions.
Further refinements to meeting arrangements and supporting materials are planned ahead of upcoming joint meetings, including the joint DUSC-ESC meeting to be held in June 2026, to support effective implementation of the joint format. Continued refinement of this process is expected to support PBAC decision‑making.
