{"id":"F2007B01078","name":"National Health Act 1953 - Declaration under subsection 85(2AA) (No. PB 7 of 1998)","slug":"national-health-act-1953-declaration-under-subsection-85-2aa-no-pb-7-of-1998","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"repealed","isInForce":false,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":62605,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2007B01078-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-02","status":"Repealed","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"National Health Act 1953 - Declaration under subsection 85(2AA) (No. PB 7 of 1998)","content":"COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA\n\nNational Health Act 1953\n\nPHARMACEUTICAL BENEFITS\n\nDECLARATION UNDER SUBSECTION 85 (2AA)\n\nNo. PB 7 of 1998\n\nI, DAVID TREVOR GRAHAM, Assistant Secretary, Pharmaceutical Benefits Branch, Department of Health and Family Services and Delegate of the Minister for Health and Family Services, having in accordance with subsection 85 (2AB) of the National Health Act 1953 obtained the advice of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee, pursuant to subsection 85 (2AA) of the National Health Act 1953, hereby make the following Declaration:\n\n1.  This Declaration shall come into operation on 1 May 1998.\n\n2. The drugs and medicinal preparations specified in the Schedule to this Declaration shall cease to be drugs and medicinal preparations to which Part VII of the National Health Act 1953 applies.\n\nTHE SCHEDULE\n\nAluminium Hydroxide, Dried with Magnesium Hydroxide and Oxethazaine\n\nChloramphenicol Sodium Succinate\n\nMethacycline Hydrochloride\n\n\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\n\nDated this 8th day of April 1998.\n\nD. GRAHAM\n\nAssistant Secretary\n\nPharmaceutical Benefits Branch\n\nDepartment of Health and Family Services\n\nDelegate of the Minister for Health and Family Services","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"kimi_summary":{"_metrics":{"model":"kimi-k2.5","source":"moonshot-batch","completionTokens":2467},"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":1,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The declaration performs exactly the function authorised by its enabling provision (section 85(2AA) of the National Health Act 1953): specifically delisting named pharmaceutical benefits. There is no expansion beyond the original statutory purpose."},"complexity_factors":["Extremely short instrument (under 250 words)","Only three specific pharmaceutical items in the Schedule","Single, unambiguous legal effect (removal from PBS coverage)","No conditional logic, exceptions, or defined terms","Minimal cross-referencing (only to enabling provision section 85(2AA))"],"plain_english_summary":"This declaration removes three specific medications from Australia's **Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)** — the government program that subsidises prescription medicine costs.\n\n**What changes:**\n* Three drugs will cease to receive government subsidies from 1 May 1998\n* Patients prescribed these medications must pay the full commercial price rather than the reduced PBS co-payment\n\n**The delisted medications:**\n1. **Aluminium Hydroxide, Dried with Magnesium Hydroxide and Oxethazaine** — an antacid combination for heartburn and indigestion\n2. **Chloramphenicol Sodium Succinate** — an injectable antibiotic\n3. **Methacycline Hydrochloride** — an oral antibiotic (tetracycline class)\n\n**Why this happens:**\nThe Assistant Secretary of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Branch (acting as the Minister's delegate) issued this declaration after the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee recommended these drugs no longer warrant taxpayer subsidy. This reflects routine updates to the PBS list based on clinical and cost-effectiveness assessments."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/national-health-act-1953-declaration-under-subsection-85-2aa-no-pb-7-of-1998","history":"/api/acts/national-health-act-1953-declaration-under-subsection-85-2aa-no-pb-7-of-1998/history","analysis":"/api/acts/national-health-act-1953-declaration-under-subsection-85-2aa-no-pb-7-of-1998/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/national-health-act-1953-declaration-under-subsection-85-2aa-no-pb-7-of-1998/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/national-health-act-1953-declaration-under-subsection-85-2aa-no-pb-7-of-1998/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/national-health-act-1953-declaration-under-subsection-85-2aa-no-pb-7-of-1998/documents"}}