News · PBS · 10 July 2026Ocrevus and Kesimpta at Risk of
Losing PBS Listing: What Australian
MS Patients Need to Know Right Now
Two of Australia's most-used MS medications are at the centre of a high-stakes pricing dispute. Without PBS protection, Ocrevus alone could cost patients up to $33,000 a year. Right now you pay $25 per script, or $7 on concession.
Here is exactly what is happening, what the government has said, and what you should do right now.
If you're currently taking Ocrevus or Kesimpta, there's no action required today, but it is a good time to get the rest of your prescriptions organised.
Keep every prescription organised while the PBS decision unfolds
Living with MS often means managing several medications, not just your disease-modifying therapy. While the PBS decision is being resolved, MediRemind helps keep every prescription organised in one place.
Take the stress out of managing multiple medications
Keep every repeat, expiry date and eScript together in one secure Australian app, so you can focus on your health, not on whether you've run out of a script.
Start a 30-day trial, then continue with a subscriptionWhat is happening?
Under PBS pricing rules, medications are grouped into therapeutic categories. When a new, cheaper drug is listed in the same category, it becomes the price benchmark, and all other drugs in that group must reduce their PBS price to match.
A newer and cheaper competitor MS drug called Briumivi has recently been listed on the PBS in the same category as Ocrevus and Kesimpta. Under the benchmark pricing rule, this triggers a mandatory price reduction of 40 to 50 per cent for both drugs.
Roche Australia, which makes Ocrevus, has described the PBS pricing mechanism as "archaic" and has threatened to withdraw Ocrevus from the PBS entirely rather than accept that price cut. Novartis, which makes Kesimpta, is in the same position.
The PBS listing committee met during the week of July 7–11, 2026 to determine the way forward.
Why is this a bigger fight than usual?
Health Minister Mark Butler has pointed to US drug pricing policy changes as a key complicating factor. The United States now links its domestic drug prices to prices in comparable countries, including Australia. If Roche or Novartis accept a lower Australian price, it could automatically reduce what they are permitted to charge in the US as well.
That global pricing pressure is making pharmaceutical companies far more resistant than usual to accepting Australian price cuts , turning what would ordinarily be a routine pricing negotiation into a high-stakes standoff.
What has the government said?
Health Minister Mark Butler has been unambiguous. Speaking in Burnie on Wednesday 8 July 2026:
"I want to be very clear about the difference that they are making to many Australians living with MS, and I want to make sure that drug continues to be available for them at PBS prices."
, Health Minister Mark Butler, Burnie, 8 July 2026
MS Australia CEO Rohan Greenland welcomed the comments: "I welcome his emphatic support for Ocrevus and Kesimpta and the Minister's strong desire to see this matter resolved in a manner that ensures these life-saving medications remain available on the PBS."
5 things MS patients should do right now
1. Continue your current treatment
MS Australia's advice is clear: no final decision has been made. Do not stop or change your medication without speaking to your neurologist. Continue taking Ocrevus or Kesimpta exactly as prescribed.
2. Follow MS Australia for updates
MS Australia is the authoritative source for developments on this issue. Visit msaustralia.org.au and sign up for their updates. They have committed to informing the MS community as soon as there are any developments.
3. Get all your other prescriptions organised, right now
Most people managing MS are also on other medications, vitamin D, anti-spasticity drugs, antidepressants, bladder medications, or other repeat scripts. When one major medication is under threat, having complete control over everything else matters more than ever. Know your repeat numbers, expiry dates and refill timing for every script you hold.
4. Ask your neurologist about alternatives
Briumivi is now PBS-listed in the same category as Ocrevus and Kesimpta. If the worst happens, your neurologist can advise whether it is a suitable alternative for your specific situation. Do not switch without medical guidance. MS is not a one-size-fits-all condition.
5. Know where your PBS Safety Net threshold stands
If out-of-pocket medication costs increase, the PBS Safety Net provides additional protection. General patients reach the threshold at $1,748.20 in co-payments per year. Concession cardholders reach theirs at $277.20. Keeping accurate records of all your scripts helps you track this.
While the PBS decision is pending, make sure every one of your prescriptions is organised.
MediRemind keeps your eScripts, repeat numbers and refill reminders together in one place, so you can focus on your health, not on whether you've run out of a script.
🇦🇺 Australian owned. Designed for Australian prescriptions and eScripts.
Should you be worried if you are currently on Ocrevus or Kesimpta?
MS Australia's advice: No final decision has been made. People currently taking Ocrevus or Kesimpta should continue their treatment as advised by their healthcare team and should not make any changes without first speaking to their neurologist.
The situation is under active negotiation. Health Minister Butler has clearly and publicly committed to ensuring both drugs remain on the PBS. The committee's decision following the July 7–11 meeting will determine the immediate path forward.
What happens next?
If no agreement is reached between the government and the pharmaceutical companies, the matter may escalate further, potentially resulting in a government intervention to maintain PBS access, or a delisting if no resolution is found.
MS Australia has committed to keeping the MS community informed as developments occur. Follow their updates at msaustralia.org.au.
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The prescription management challenge for MS patients
Managing MS means managing more than one medication. Alongside a disease-modifying therapy, many Australians with MS are also tracking repeat prescriptions for related conditions, and each script has its own expiry date, repeat number and refill timing.
When PBS uncertainty hits one medication, it is a reminder of how important it is to have clear visibility over everything else. Knowing exactly where each prescription stands, what repeat you are on, when it expires, when to head back to the chemist, is the kind of control that makes a real difference day to day.
Who is MediRemind useful for?
MediRemind is particularly useful if you:
Helping a parent, partner or family member manage MS medications? MediRemind lets you keep track of prescriptions together, one app, the whole family's scripts.
Frequently asked questions
Will Ocrevus be removed from the PBS in Australia?
As of July 2026, no final decision has been made. Roche Australia has threatened to withdraw Ocrevus from the PBS if the government proceeds with a 40–50 per cent price reduction. The PBS committee met July 7–11, 2026 to determine a way forward. Health Minister Mark Butler has publicly stated he wants Ocrevus to remain on the PBS at subsidised prices.
How much does Ocrevus cost without PBS subsidy?
Without PBS listing, Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) can cost patients up to $33,000 per year. Under the current PBS arrangement, general patients pay $25 per prescription and concession cardholders pay $7.
What is Briumivi and why is it causing this dispute?
Briumivi is a newer, cheaper MS medication listed on the PBS in the same therapeutic category as Ocrevus and Kesimpta. Under PBS benchmark pricing rules, the cheapest drug sets the price benchmark for all drugs in that category. Briumivi's lower price triggered a mandatory 40–50 per cent price reduction for Ocrevus and Kesimpta. A cut the manufacturers say is commercially unacceptable.
Should I stop taking Ocrevus or Kesimpta right now?
No. MS Australia's advice is clear: no final decision has been made. People currently taking Ocrevus or Kesimpta should continue their treatment as directed by their neurologist and should not make any changes without medical advice.
What can I do while waiting for news on the PBS decision?
Continue your current treatment as advised by your neurologist. Follow MS Australia at msaustralia.org.au for updates. Get all your other repeat prescriptions organised so nothing falls through the cracks during this period of uncertainty. MS patients typically manage 4–6 medications alongside their DMT. MediRemind is an Australian app that helps you track every eScript, repeat and reminder in one place. It includes a 30-day trial, then a subscription, and is available on iPhone from the App Store and on Android from Google Play.
This article is for general information only and does not constitute medical or pharmaceutical advice. Information about PBS listings, TGA approvals and medication pricing is accurate at the time of writing and subject to change, verify current status at PBS.gov.au or TGA.gov.au before relying on it. Speak to your doctor or pharmacist before making any decisions about your medication or treatment. MediRemind is not affiliated with Novo Nordisk or any other pharmaceutical manufacturer.
Whether the PBS negotiations are resolved next week or next month, staying on top of every prescription is something you can control today.
Download MediRemind and keep every eScript, repeat and reminder in one place.
Supporting a parent, partner or family member with MS? MediRemind works for the whole household.