AS PATIENTS struggle to pay for their medicine, the Pharmacy Guild of Australia has urged the Government to act to make medicines more affordable.
The call comes as mounting evidence shows the link between cost-of-living pressures and medicine affordability, with Productivity Commission Chair Danielle Wood commenting that more people are delaying filling prescriptions due to cost.
"It's clear the government needs to take action to reduce the cost of medication to show voters they are serious about tackling the rising cost of living," said pharmacist and Pharmacy Guild of Australia National Councillor Mario Barone.
"Australians are being forced to make tough choices between filling prescriptions and paying the rent, buying groceries and putting petrol in the car," Barone pointed out.
"We know what happens when people can't afford their medicine - they get sicker," he continued.
"Often there are complications that mean time off work, time in hospital and time recovering."
Research by the Guild shows that more than one in five people have not filled a prescription in the past three years because of cost, rising to one in three people in parts of regionalAustralia.
Women, those with dependants, and younger people were more likely to skip a prescription because of cost.
The Guild is calling for the Government to reduce the general co-payment as part of its Affordable Medicine Now campaign.
"This non-inflationary measure would reduce out-of-pocket prescription costs for patients," Barone said.
"Community pharmacists see patients struggling to afford their medicine every day," he continued.
"The Government can, and should, take action to address these challenges and make sure medicine stops being a luxury item." KB
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