The Government has confirmed it will press ahead with plans to remove common medicines such as antacids and laxatives from the PBS.

The decision follows advice from the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee announced earlier this year by Health Minister Sussan Ley.

At the time Ms Ley said the government was paying a lot of money for people to access over-the-counter medications on script that was not necessarily sustainable and not necessarily in the interest of patients overall.

“I’m confident this is in the interests of consumers, it’s in the interest of our budget and in the interests of our whole medicine supply chain,” she said.

The list of PBAC recommendations for de-listing also includes brands of aspirin, folic acid, antacids, some vitamins and supplements and glucose and ketone testing strips.

Some of the medicines will remain available through the PBS for patient groups such as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders and veterans.

Gone from the PBS in January 2016.

Antacids

• Mylanta
• Gastrogel
• Gaviscon P

Laxatives

• Dulcolax
• Petrus Bisacodyl
• Glycerol suppositories