Why I Am Petitioning to Keep Life-Changing Multiple Sclerosis Medications on the PBS

This petition is deeply personal to me. I am not just speaking as a member of the community—I am speaking as a mother.

At just 18 years of age, my son was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). As a parent, there is nothing that prepares you for hearing your child has a lifelong, incurable neurological disease. In a single moment, our family’s future changed forever. My son has monthly Kesimpta injections, which have been pivotal in managing his symptoms and offering him hope for a quality of life we once took for granted.

The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) is a critical program in Australia that provides affordable access to vital medications for individuals like my son. Without the subsidies provided by the PBS, the cost of these medications could become prohibitive, placing an immense financial burden on families and potentially limiting access to essential treatments.

Multiple sclerosis affects over 38,000 people in Australia, and the medications funded by the PBS have been proven to dramatically impact the quality of life and health outcomes of those affected. Studies have shown that early and consistent medical intervention can significantly delay disease progression and disability.

Given the lifelong nature of MS, it is vital to maintain the accessibility and affordability of these medications. Removing them from the PBS could lead to deteriorating health for thousands of Australians and may increase long-term healthcare costs due to untreated progression of the disease.

I urge the Australian government and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee to continue funding MS medications on the PBS. By doing so, they ensure that individuals like my son can continue to lead healthier, more fulfilling lives without the added stress of unaffordable medication costs.

Please sign this petition to demand the continued support of MS medications on the PBS and protect the future of countless Australians living with Multiple Sclerosis. Your signature can make a profound difference.

Kesimpta costs approximately $29,000 per year, while another highly effective MS medication, Ocrevus, costs more than $16,600 per year without PBS support. These are simply not costs that the average Australian family can absorb. (Facebook⁠)

If these medications are removed from the PBS because of a pricing dispute, thousands of Australians living with MS will face uncertainty and fear. Many patients are stable on these medications and have been for years. They should not be forced to change treatments simply because of funding decisions. Neurologists and MS organisations have warned that these medicines have transformed the lives of people with MS by dramatically reducing relapses and slowing disability progression. (The Australian⁠)

This is about much more than medication.

It is about keeping people in the workforce.

It is about helping young adults pursue their dreams.

It is about reducing disability, avoiding hospital admissions, easing pressure on the NDIS and protecting Australia’s already stretched health system. Experts have also warned that moving patients away from these treatments could increase demand on hospital infusion services that are already under significant pressure. (The Australian⁠)

As a mother, I worry every single day about what the future holds for my son. MS has already taken away the certainty that every parent hopes their child will have. Please don’t take away the treatment that gives him the best chance of living a long, productive and independent life.

No family should have to choose between financial ruin and their loved one’s health.

I urge the Australian Government, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC), and all parties involved to find a solution that keeps Kesimpta and Ocrevus on the PBS.

Please don’t make families like mine collateral damage in a pricing dispute.

People living with MS deserve stability, choice and access to the treatment that is right for them.

For my son.

For every Australian living with MS.

Please keep these life-changing medications on the PBS.