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The body that represents over 90% of Australia’s GPs and advocates on behalf of their patients has provided a formal submission for the Australian Government’s review of the pharmacy industry.
Royal Australian College of General Practitioners President Dr Bastian Seidel said the submission responds to the Review of Pharmacy Remuneration and Regulation Panel’s interim report.
Dr Seidel said, “our submission focusses on key areas including complementary medicines and homeopathy, breaking the retail-medicine link, the role of pharmacists and access to pharmacies for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.”
“When it comes to complementary medicines and homeopathy we would argue that taxpayers’ money should only be used to support access to evidence based medicines.
“The option presented in the interim report to move non-evidence based complementary and alternative medicines to a separate area in a pharmacy simply isn’t enough to protect patients from being recommended unnecessary medicines.
“We would argue that supplements that are not supported by high-quality evidence should not be sold from the same location as evidence‑based, taxpayer-subsidised medicine.
“This would be consistent with the report’s option recommending that pharmacies should not sell homeopathy products, which we strongly support.”
While it was not an option recommended in the report, the RACGP also proposed that dispensing and other community pharmacy fees could be ‘cashed out’ to support a General Practice-based Pharmacist.
A GPP would take responsibility for medication governance within general practices and be responsible for:
Dr Seidel said, “this model would really benefit patients with chronic disease and limited mobility, people who arguably face the most complex health challenges.
“The model also provides an independent career prospect for community pharmacists, giving them greater opportunities to work as part of a collaborative primary healthcare team.
“When it comes to improving access to pharmacies for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in remote areas we are pleased the report argues that benefits should follow the individual, regardless of where the prescription is written or dispensed.
“We also support the report’s very sensible option to allow an Aboriginal Health Service to own, operate and co-locate a community pharmacy.”
Journalists and media outlets seeking comment and information from the RACGP can contact John Ronan, Ally Francis and Stuart Winthrope via:
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