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Professor Craig Underhill and Rachael Babin break down the key oncology changes from the April 2026 PBS update.

This month we run through six fresh PBS listings and policy changes that affect Australian oncology and haematology practice, from ROS1-positive non small cell lung cancer to perioperative immunotherapy and late-line blood cancer options. 

We focus on who benefits, what the key trial signals are and what clinicians need to monitor so access translates into safe, real-world outcomes. 

• Repotrectinib listed for ROS1-positive NSCLC, including activity after prior TKIs and in resistant mutations, plus monitoring for dizziness and pneumonitis 
• Durvalumab listed for muscle-invasive bladder cancer using the Niagara perioperative regimen, balancing survival gains with immune-related toxicity 
• Three new pembrolizumab listings across cervical cancer, adjuvant renal cell carcinoma and perioperative head and neck cancer, with discussion of endpoints and eligibility 
• Haematology additions including a BCMA bispecific for relapsed myeloma, an oral kinase inhibitor for higher-risk myelofibrosis and mogamulizumab for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma 
• PBS price cuts via generics and biosimilars, plus expanded supervised prescribing for some medicines by nurse practitioners

Follow The PBS Update for regular discussions of PBS listings and oncology policy changes affecting Australian healthcare professionals.

Visit the Show Notes for links to the updates discussed in this episode and to send us audio feedback or questions for future episodes.