Open up pharmacy agreement to give consumers a better deal

The Consumers Health Forum has urged the Federal Government to implement an expert recommendation to ease dispensing restrictions and permit consumers to get two months’ supply at a time of common prescribed medicines.

Australia’s leading health consumers organisation has called for the change as one of several recommendations for improvements to the Community Pharmacy Agreement currently being re-negotiated for a new five year term from 1 July 2020 between the Health Department and the Pharmacy Guild representing pharmacy owners.

“Consumers typically have more contact with pharmacists than with any other health professional and should have more say in the funding and design of pharmacy services,” the CEO of Consumers Health Forum, Leanne Wells, said today.

“We call on the Health Minister to take up the recommendation of the expert Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee which in April this year recommended that dispensing move from one to two months’ supply for some 143 medicines.

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