End the Tough Choices Tough Choices
Can’t afford medicine on top of all your other bills?
You’re not alone.
Millions of Australians are facing tough choices: food or medicine, rent or their health. With bills piling up and everyday expenses soaring, they’re forced to choose between essentials like rent, groceries or life-saving medications. This shouldn’t be the reality in a country as wealthy as ours.
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Have you had to make a tough choice?
About the issue
End the Tough Choices
Australians are being pushed to breaking point. Rising rents, soaring food prices and stagnant wages have created a cost-of-living crisis unlike any we’ve seen before. For many, the cost of medicine has become unaffordable, forcing tough choices: pay for medicine or keep a roof over their heads.
Skipping medication isn’t just a financial decision; it can lead to worsening health, hospitalisations and long-term impacts on quality of life.
These difficult decisions are playing out across the country every day. Parents skip their own medications to cover school expenses. Seniors stretch out prescriptions to afford food. People are sacrificing their health just to survive. This is the harsh reality for countless Australians. When medicine becomes a luxury purchase, the true cost isn’t just financial – it’s measured in lives and livelihoods.
Australia’s inflation rate for Q2 in 20241 was
3.8%both CPI (Consumer Price Index) and the cost of living continue to rise1
MORE THAN
30%of Australian adults went without their prescription medicine because of cost concerns.2
1 in 10
women delayed or didn’t get a script filled in the past 12 months.3
Take the poll
I’m a self-funded retiree. I will never get a discount. I will always pay full [PBS] price because I’m a self-funded retiree even though I’ve worked hard all my life and paid my taxes.
Maree, 68, New South WalesIf medications are unaffordable and if people are delaying getting them or can’t afford them, this will have flow-on effects. If we can avoid that it would be terrific.
Jane, 41, VictoriaThe cost of medicines is too high.
Sarah, 28, Queensland103 people have voted
Have you had to make tough choices between medicine and other essentials?
Take the survey
End the Tough Choices: Your experience with the cost of medicine.
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. Your responses will help us understand the impact of the cost of living crisis on access to medicine. All responses will be kept confidential.
“My kid has been diagnosed with a rare metabolic disorder. Treatment (under care of paediatrician/metabolic specialist) cost is $4000/yr. Ongoing requirement for her health. No subsidy or financial assistance whatsoever. How are we going to sustain this expense? ”
Anonymous - VIC, Australia
“I am on a disability pension. Medications are over 100 dollars per month. Some for my mental health are not covered by pbs. ”
April - SA, Australia
“Stay healthy ”
Anonymous - WA, Australia
“My wife and I stay home 7 days a week I have massive medical problem food and medication have been hard pention dis pention needs to be raised properly.”
Anonymous - SA, Australia
“I am a single mother. After surgery to remove “abnormal cells” my doctor prescribed medicine to keep them from coming back. I couldn’t afford to take the medicine daily and feed my children. I chose food and now the cells are back and I need invasive surgery that will keep me off work for months. No one should have to chose between getting cancer and feeding their children. ”
Anonymous - WA, Australia
“Rent first food for us 2 next and medicine third. A fact of life. Thanks to our selfcentered PM who does not care at all.”
Anonymous - NSW, Australia
“I am a single mother with a one year old not receiving child support. My medications cost me $84 per month, already going without my asthma preventer and not including Panadol or teething gel my son will need that month. I have stopped taking my reflux medication due to cost and regularly go without my anti seizure or blood pressure medications so I can afford rent and basic foods.”
Tammy - SA, Australia
“I have often had to get my medication on credit because I can’t always afford them, then pay back the credit on Pension day. It is a struggle. Many medications are not covered on PBS and my health depends on those. I no longer have a car, or luxuries. Bare survival is all that I can manage.”
Christine - QLD, Australia
“When my kids need prescription medicines we often go without nutritious food to afford what they need to get better. It’s a bloody joke.”
Holly - VIC, Australia