MS Drugs Stay Put On PBS, BHP Workers Walk & A Snowboarder's Surf Slog
7/16/202613 min
On The Solo Bureau Today we whip around the states and territories to find out what's been happening across Australia this week from a Tassie electorate renaming controversy, an SA laser that could save us from poisoning and a report from the NT that shows just how important Aboriginal business is
Also
MS Drugs To Stay On The PBS
WA BHP Workers Walk Off The Job
Sydney Fire Victim Allegedly Set Alight By Son
Images Of Children's Clothes Released To Identify Victims
Sam Neill’s Cause Of Death Confirmed
Olympic Snowboarder Surfs For A Cause
Host/Producer Claire Murphy
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The Solo Bureau Artwork is by Gabi Revell from Foundry Creative
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsClaire Murphy· Host0:00
[upbeat music] Good morning. I'm Claire Murphy. Welcome to The Solo Bureau. It's Friday, a phrase I still can't seem to be able to say without conjuring notes of Rebecca Black. If you have no idea about this 2011 pop culture reference, I suggest you get on the Google and look at the backstory of Miss Black's infamy. But like we usually do on a Friday, we're gonna check out what the entire country has been up to this past week. We will do a state and territory whip. So without further ado, here's what was happening while you were sleeping. It's Friday, July 17th. [upbeat music] Remember last week when we spoke to Deanna Renee about several drugs that are used to treat MS that were potentially being removed from the PBS? Well, she sent through an update overnight to say that that decision has been made for them to remain. Ocrevus, Kesimpta, and Lemtrada, which are used to manage symptoms of MS and other related conditions, were in line to be removed from the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme due to the manufacturers, Roche, Novartis, and Sanofi Genzyme, rejecting a government request to lower the cost of the drugs by up to 50%. If they were to be removed, it would mean treatment for MS patients increased by potentially tens of thousands of dollars a year. Health Minister Mark Butler praised the decision by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee,