Pharmaceutical companies and industry groups attending Weber Shandwick’s  luncheon with incoming head of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee, Dr Suzanne Hill were impressed that the well-credentialed Chair was also an enthusiastic listener keen to build on the PBAC’s policy of open engagement.  (The PBAC is an independent body that advises the government about which drugs should be listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.)

Dr Hill is a clinical pharmacologist  and former associate professor at the University of Newcastle.  She has spent the last six years with the World Health Organisation in Europe, where she noted the many meetings and reports had – by necessity – to be held in numerous languages and across multiple jurisdictions.  Having successfully traversed those barriers and even the extensive bureaucracy of the Geneva-based organisation, Dr Hill laughed that she was not at all daunted by her new role with a Committee that often has industry heads shaking at its increasing complexity.

Dr Hill took up her position with the PBAC in September last year and while she has been meeting with industry groups ( Medicines Australia , the AMA and the Pharmacy Guild) over the past few months, her guest role at Weber Shandwick’s luncheon provided the first opportunity to meet company representatives and share her vision.   It was apparent that Dr Hill wanted to continue to hear from the industry about ways to improve the functioning of the PBS; she asked many questions and took notes.

Guests noted that Dr Hill takes over the Chair from pharmaceutical legend Professor Lloyd Sansom, who ensured the influential committee became more open and transparent in its dealings with the industry and consumers.  Dr Hill agreed and said that the PBAC’s obvious transparency – including detailing its reasons for decisions – was one of the first things she noticed – and welcomed – on her return to Australia.  She said she would continue the policy of being accessible and accountable and had some ideas on how to build on that.   Dr Hill proved the point by handing out her mobile telephone number to guests urging them to call her (with the caveat that her current phone is notoriously unreliable but would soon be upgraded. “If you text me, she said,  “I will call you back.  It seems to work that way at the moment.”)

Head of Public Affairs and Senior Strategic Counsel, Jacquelynne Willcox

Photo credit: italintheheart