The Hon. Greg Hunt MP
Minister for Health and Aged Care
TRANSCRIPT
28 March 2022
INTERVIEW WITH RAY HADLEY
2GB THE RAY HADLEY MORNING SHOW
E&OE…
Topics: Trikafta
RAY HADLEY:
Well, in May last year, I spoke to the then CEO of Cystic Fibrosis Australia, Nettie Burke. He spoke about a life-saving drug, which the PBAC at the time were not going to fund. I’ve had to do everything I could do to help cystic fibrosis sufferers get access.
After my chat with Nettie, the open line went into a meltdown with calls from all those who suffer from this terrible genetic disorder along with their families. Then I spoke to the Federal Health Minister, Greg Hunt who made a promise he’d work as fast as he could to have Trikafta approved by the PBS.
In January, I spoke to the new CEO of Cystic Fibrosis Australia, Jo Armstrong, and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee recommended the approval of Trikafta on the PBS.
Well, I then had another conversation with the Minister. I’ve got to say that, well, he didn’t make a promise to me, but I almost took it as a promise that he would do his level best before the election to get things turned around.
Well, he’ll retire in a few short weeks, maybe a little bit longer, depending on when they call the election. But when he does retire, I think this is his greatest legacy. Among many achievements, I think the CF drug is perhaps his greatest legacy, Trikafta, now available to children over the age of 12 on the PBS from 1 April.
Minister, congratulations and thank you.
GREG HUNT:
Thanks very much, Ray.
Look, what’s important here is for 1,900 patients, for 1,900 families a year, they’ll have access to a breakthrough new cystic fibrosis medicine, Trikafta. It would cost $250,000 a year, and now as little as $6.80 a script.
But it’s about hope and treatment and lung function and quality of life and length of life. All of these things come together. And we’re one of the first countries in the world to list Trikafta, and it will make a massive difference.
Yesterday, I met with Jess Ragusa, with children such as Heidi and Kai and Sarah, and you could see just the joy on their faces and the relief on the faces of their parents.
RAY HADLEY:
One of the things you and I spoke about when we were going through this minefield wasn’t just the PBAC and then the PBS, but then you’ve got to deal with the manufacturer and convince them that you’ve got to, you know, structure a deal that’s beneficial to everyone, but get the benefit for those 1,800 people that you spoke about.
Was that a difficult path?
GREG HUNT:
Look, there are some time challenges, and it took a little bit of time to convince the company to accept the terms of the independent medical expert, or the independent umpire, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee, but we got there.
And we were really determined to do that. And ultimately, working with the company that’s based in Boston, but it’s got a fantastic Australian team, you know, we basically said, let’s get this done before the election because otherwise, through the election process, the new minister, this could take months, or it may never happen.
And you know, my commitment was to list everything that was approved by the medical umpire. And so, I’m really pleased about this.
And I’m pleased in terms of, every day I pretty much meet somebody who will say, look, my myself, my son, my daughter, my mother, my father, they’ve had access to, whether it’s a medicine for cystic fibrosis, or for lung cancer, or for spinal muscular atrophy, all of these different medicines, or things as simple as, you know, heart conditions. It’s changed our lives.
And you know, there was a period under the previous government, when Mr Albanese was there, where they stopped listing medicines, which is almost unforgivable. But I hope that never happens again. But we’re determined that it will never happen under us.
And you know, to see the Prime Minister and the Treasurer talk about the PBS and the listing of medicines is almost the signature example of what we do in health and in social services, that, I think, is just a magnificent turnaround.
RAY HADLEY:
After all these years of public service, what are you going to do?
GREG HUNT:
Well, I’m going to be a dad. Look, I might do a little bit of Pilates and get a discrete tattoo still to be determined by the family.
But you know, for me, the reason I’m leaving is because, whilst I absolutely love what I do, I’ve never been a proper dad. And so, I’m going to try to be a proper dad.
And you know, there’ll be plenty of things that open up. I would like to do some things in mental health, but the rest of it, I’ll deal with all of that after the election.
In the meantime, its final season – grand final – and I’ll absolutely run to the line, because I believe in what we’re doing, and I believe, you know, in the Prime Minister and the government, and giving people opportunity.
And when you look at Australia with a global pandemic, and here we are with one of the highest rates of vaccination in the world, one of the lowest rates of loss of life, and with one of the strongest economic recoveries of four per cent unemployment rate, you think, hang on, it’s been difficult and challenging and hard, but by golly, we’ve got things right that almost nobody else has on as continuous a basis.
And you can always improve, but I think the hands that are at the tiller at the moment the PM and Josh, Marise Payne and Peter Dutton, and others, I feel very confident in them.
RAY HADLEY:
I speak from some experience. Minister, you don’t get a second shot at being a dad. I’m most fortunate I’ve got a shot now being a granddad, with my fifth on the way.
I wish you the best. I thank you so much for doing what you’ve done over a long period of time. And I’m sure Poppy and James will appreciate the fact that dad’s going to be home much more often than he was previously.
All the best to you.
GREG HUNT:
And all thanks to you and to your listeners. But, you know, what you did Ray on Trikafta and cystic fibrosis, it’s been a really important human contribution. So, take care.
RAY HADLLEY:
Thanks, Minister. All the best to you. Thank you. That’s the retiring Health Minister Greg Hunt.
-ENDS-