Federal Health and Aged Care Minister Mark Butler says from September 1, general patients will be able save up to $180 a year if their medicine is able to be prescribed for 60 days and concession card holders will save up to $43.80 a year per medicine.
He said at least six million Australians would halve their medicine costs and need fewer visits to the GP and pharmacist to get the medicine they used the most, saving patients more than $1.6 billion over the next four years.
“Every year, nearly a million Australians are forced to delay or go without a medicine that their doctor has told them is necessary for their health,” Mr Butler said.
“This cheaper medicines policy is safe, good for Australians’ hip pockets and most importantly good for their health.”
It is not a view shared by local pharmacist Melvin Deo though, who believes the reform will have negative impacts on customers’ health due to reduced availability of drugs and the limited interaction between pharmacists and customers.
“As it is, medications are already in short supply,” he said.
“On the TGA’s (Therapeutic Goods Administration) website, you’d be able to see there’s about over 400 lines, which are currently in critical supply, and going the 60-day dispensing is just going to add strain to the already strained lines or constricted lines that are on the TGA list.
“If it’s a monthly process, they’re back in the pharmacy every month and we see them and we talk to them and we can discuss those things with them.”
He also said doubling the dispensing period effectively halved pharmacists’ income on a large proportion of their business.
“If a patient is getting a 60-day supply, they’re getting two months of medication at the one professional fee,” Mr Deo said.
“So that’s basically, in some respects, halving the fee that is paid to pharmacists for doing a service to the community.”
The move has been condemned by the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, which claims the change will force chemists to reduce their operating hours.
“This cut will mean parents wanting access to late-night medicines for their kids will miss out because pharmacies will be forced to scale back their opening hours,” national president Trent Twomey said.
Federal Member for Nicholls Sam Birrell said he shared the concerns of regional pharmacy operators.
“On face value, it looks like the Albanese Government is forcing community pharmacies to underwrite the so-called savings by forgoing dispensing fees, without any guarantee that small independent pharmacists, who play an integral role in the provision of primary healthcare in regional communities, can remain viable,” Mr Birrell said.
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, however, has described the reform as a “win for Aussie patients”.
“A recent Westpac report found that pharmacies are reaping record profits, with the total consumer spending in pharmacies rising from $92.5 million in July 2019 to more than $123 million in January this year,” RACGP president Dr Nicole Higgins said.
“Also, despite what you hear from the Pharmacy Guild, there is no evidence of a shortage of the medications that are included in today’s announcement.”
