One Nation is worried about PBS drugs sold on the black market. But how big an issue is this?

One Nation has raised concerns about subsidized prescription medicines being diverted to Australia's black markets, with the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare estimating around one in twenty Australians aged fourteen and over reported using medicines for non-medical purposes in the past year—most often opioids, steroids, or ADHD stimulants. According to The Conversation, determining the true scope of PBS-specific diversion remains difficult: overall Medicare fraud and non-compliance is estimated at between one point five and three billion dollars annually, though that figure encompasses everything from billing errors to systematic pharmacy theft. Recent investigations underscore the stakes: in twenty twenty-five, federal police seized over twenty million dollars in assets from a New South Wales pharmacist accused of more than ten million dollars in fraudulent PBS claims, while NSW Police reported in twenty twenty-four that illegal pharmaceutical trade has increased across the state. Effective oversight and system upgrades may be essential to protecting the scheme's integrity.

Listen to this story

Hear this and more stories in a personalized audio briefing.

Open The Chonkerton