Therapeutic Goods (Charges) Amendment Bill 2026

Summary

The Therapeutic Goods Administration currently charges fees to companies that register medicines, medical devices, and other therapeutic products in Australia. This amendment changes how those charges work — adjusting the fees companies must pay when submitting products for approval or renewal. The change affects the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989, which sets out the rules for what products can be sold in Australia and who oversees them. This matters because it directly impacts the cost of bringing new medicines and medical devices to Australian patients; higher or lower fees can affect how quickly companies bring treatments to market and ultimately what consumers pay for healthcare products.

What happens at this stage

The main debate on whether the chamber supports the broad purpose of the bill. Members speak to its overall merits and concerns rather than the fine print. The government outlines its policy intentions; the opposition and crossbench put their case. This is the stage that determines whether the bill proceeds at all.

Next: Consideration in Detail (House) or Committee of the Whole (Senate), where the bill is examined clause by clause