Government Support

I emailed my local senate member David Pocock around the MBS knock back and requested some support in pushing this further. He is a big advocate for cheaper healthcare outcomes and support for the community. Below correspondence for more information:

Dear SenatorPocock,

I hope thismessage finds you well.

I’m writing toexpress my support for your continued advocacy in improving health outcomes andaddressing the pressures on Australia’s healthcare system—particularly therising costs to patients and increasing strain on hospitals and generalpractice clinics.

One innovation I’dlike to bring to your attention is Febridx, a TGA-approved and FDA-clearedpoint-of-care diagnostic tool developed by Lumos Diagnostics. For transparency,I am a long-term shareholder in Lumos. However, my support for this tool stemsfrom personal experience as a parent and carer—not just as an investor.

Febridx delivers results within 10 minutes from asimple fingerstick blood sample and helps clinicians differentiate between bacterialand viral infections. This is especially useful in urgent care and primarysettings. Accurate, rapid diagnosis improves decision-making and reduces unnecessaryantibiotic prescriptions, which is a leading cause of antimicrobialresistance (AMR)—a growing threat that contributes to over 1.27 milliondeaths globally each year.

As a father of ayoung child, I know how difficult it can be to access timely GP appointments,only to leave uncertain whether antibiotics/medications are truly needed. Inolder patients, overprescription can lead to complications, increasedhospitalisations, and extended wait times. Febridx can reduce thisburden significantly.

Despite beingapproved and available in Australia, I understand an earlier application toinclude Febridx on the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) was rejected,with limited available explanation. I urge your support in revisiting this, assubsidising such tools on the MBS could:

• Improve diagnostic speed and accuracy in primary care and emergency settings
• Reduce pressure on GPs and hospitals by enabling broader use (e.g., pharmacies or nurse practitioners)
• Combat antimicrobial resistance through more responsible prescribing
• Provide cost savings to the healthcare system and patients

For furtherinformation on Febridx: Febridx

Febridx has thepotential to meaningfully improve health outcomes for Australians. I kindly askyou to consider advocating for its inclusion on the MBS so that it becomes moreaccessible to the communities that need it most.

Thank you for yourtime and commitment to better healthcare.

------------------------------------------------------

Hi XXXX,

Thanks for getting in touch and for sharing your experience with Febridx. The points you’ve made about pressures on GPs, the challenge of getting timely appointments, and the value of quicker, more accurate diagnosis really resonate – they’re big parts of why David’s been pushing for better support for primary care and our health workforce.

David respects the role of the Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC) in independently assessing technologies and deciding whether they should be publicly funded. Their job is to dig into the evidence on safety, effectiveness, and value for money so we get the most out of a limited health budget. We don’t have the expertise in our office to make that call better than MSAC.

I wasn’t able to find the earlier Febridx application on the MSAC website. If you’re able to share it, I’d love to have a read. I’d also be interested in your reflections on whether the application was fairly considered.

Kind regards,

David Pocock Office
------------------------------------------------------

Thank you for your reply! It’s much appreciated. Ihave sent a copy of your response to the company to see if I can source anyapplication reference number to review in the system you have access to.Unfortunately, I don’t have any further clarity outside of the announcementsprovided by the company on the ASX, refer below:

The communication from the company when queriedsimple indicated that the application was reviewed and that it appeared thereview panel couldn’t place the diagnostic as a service or a product.

Personally, I see it as both. Something that could be used in our local GPoffices as part of general consults service (this might require a broaderpolicy change in the health sector) but as a general “for sale” product at apharmacy, like a pregnancy test etc. I do note that the Government supportstests which use the same device through Atomo Diagnostics and a HIV test whichhas been Government funded and rolled out in South Australia. Personally, if Icould avoid $120 doctors (pre-MBS rebate) visit for a general flu and have thistest done at a pharmacy instead for $25 as example, I would every day of theweek.

I will happily provide any information I can toyour office once I hear back from the company to see if we can review thedecision making to ensure this is approved on the MBS.

------------------------------------------------------

From IR:

Hi XXXXX,

Thank you for your email, and for taking the initiative to reach out to your local member of Parliament. We greatly appreciate your advocacy and the encouraging response you received from Senator Pocock’s office — it’s a valuable opportunity for us to explore further.

Our experience with MSAC was constructive, providing useful feedback on areas where our MBS application could be strengthened, as well as highlighting potential alternate pathways to secure market access and funding for FebriDx in Australia.

The key challenge with the current MBS framework is that it does not cover the cost of diagnostic tests themselves — only services provided by an eligible healthcare professional. As a result, MSAC suggested we explore programs that service remote and Indigenous populations, where funding is available to cover the cost of tests.

In addition, we are actively engaging with state healthcare systems to trial FebriDx through pilot programs. This is an area where support from members of parliament can be instrumental in accelerating our path to funding.

We welcome the opportunity to provide further clarity to Senator Pocock’s office about the public health benefits of FebriDx and the potential pathways to making it more widely accessible in Australia. Our Chief Technology Officer, Sacha Dopheide, will reach out to Senator Pocock’s office directly.

Thanks again for your support of Lumos.

Kind regards,

George