The Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) has commenced a rapid review of medicines listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) for the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), the most common form of MS.
As part of this review, a public consultation is now open from 20 August to 1 October 2026, providing an important opportunity for the MS community to share their experiences and perspectives.
Why is this review important?
The review will examine how PBS-listed disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) for RRMS are currently being used, whether current PBS restrictions remain aligned with contemporary clinical practice and international guidelines, and whether there is additional clinical and patient evidence that should be considered by the PBAC.
The review will consider all medicines currently listed on the PBS for RRMS, including oral therapies, injectable treatments and infusion therapies, as well as rituximab, which is sometimes used in MS care in Australia.
Why your voice matters
MS Australia believes the experiences of people living with MS must be at the centre of any discussion about treatment access.
MS is a complex, unpredictable and highly individual condition. No single treatment is right for every person or at every stage of their disease. Treatment decisions must be guided by the best available evidence, clinical expertise and the individual circumstances, preferences and goals of each person living with MS.
Through the consultation process, people living with MS can help decision-makers understand:
- The importance of maintaining access to a broad range of treatment options.
- How treatment choices affect quality of life, work, family and daily activities.
- The practical realities of accessing treatment in metropolitan, regional and remote areas.
- The value of shared decision-making between people with MS and their healthcare teams.
- Why treatment flexibility is essential over the course of a lifelong condition.
MS Australia’s key messages
MS Australia will be participating in the review and advocating strongly for continued access to the full range of PBS-subsidised medications.
Our key messages include:
Choice matters
Where DMTs are indicated for RRMS, they are currently subsidised through the PBS and this access should continue. New therapies entering the market should also be considered for PBS subsidy so Australians living with MS can benefit from advances in treatment.
One size does not fit all
MS affects everyone differently, and treatment needs often change over time. All DMTs should remain available as treatment options so therapy can be optimised throughout the disease journey.
Early access to highly effective treatment is crucial
The 2025 Australian and New Zealand treatment guidelines recommend the use of high-efficacy therapies as first-line treatment for many people with RRMS. Evidence indicates that early use of high-efficacy therapies is associated with lower disability progression compared with beginning on lower-efficacy therapies or delaying high-efficacy treatment until later in the disease.
Australia should maintain world-leading access
Australia currently has one of the strongest MS treatment landscapes in the world, with access to a wide range of highly effective therapies through the PBS. MS Australia supports maintaining this access and does not support treatment pathways that require people to progress through multiple therapies before accessing the treatment most appropriate for their circumstances.
Regional and remote Australians must not be disadvantaged
For some people, particularly those living in regional and remote communities, oral or self-administered injectable therapies may be preferable because they reduce the need to travel to infusion centres. These treatment options can also help ease pressure on hospital infusion services, which face capacity challenges across Australia.
What will the review examine?
The PBAC’s rapid review will consider a range of questions, including:
- Whether current PBS restrictions align with TGA-approved indications, international clinical guidelines and contemporary Australian practice.
- Whether there are important MS medicines not currently available or PBS-listed in Australia.
- Whether the current tiering of RRMS treatments remains clinically justified.
- Evidence relating to treatment switching and treatment suitability for different populations.
- How people currently use and move between therapies on the PBS.
- Preferences and barriers to accessing treatment.
Importantly, lived experiences of MS will help inform the review’s consideration of treatment choice, accessibility and the practical impacts of different therapies.
How to participate
MS Australia encourages everyone affected by MS to take part and ensure that the lived experience of Australians with MS remains central to future PBS decisions.
The public consultation is open to people living with MS, carers, advocacy organisations, clinicians, pharmaceutical companies and all interested members of the public. Submissions can address any of the review questions and may draw on personal experiences, clinical expertise or broader perspectives on access to MS treatments.
Consultation period: 20 August 2026 to 1 October 2026.
To make a submission, visit the PBS Consultation Hub through the PBAC review webpage:
