CHF anti-agreement push
November 4, 2013
The Consumers Health Forum
has reiterated its concerns about
the Fifth Community Pharmacy
Agreement, with the CHF annual
report posing a number of
questions including “why is it that
a $15 billion dollar agreement to
support community pharmacy
is lacking in basic elements of
good governance: accountability,
participation, predictability and
transparency.”
The organisation presented
the report at its annual general
meeting last week, saying that it’s
proud to be “turning up the heat
on political and public awareness of
the inequity and the dysfunction”
which is apparent in the $100
billion Australian health system.
“That means we are asking very
hard questions of Government and
standing some tough ground with
the vested and powerful interests
that are both responsible for
providing us with high quality care
and for reaping world class profits,”
wrote CHF chair Karen Carey.
As well as questioning the
governance of the 5CPA,
another issue highlighted is the
recent controversy around the
dextropropoxyphene medications
such as Di-Gesic and Doloxene.
“Why is it that Australia’s
medicines regulator can act to
protect the public by removing a
drug from sale because of safety
concerns, and a corporate legal
challenge can put it back on the
shelves,” the CHF asked.
During the year the CHF
has run major campaigns on
complementary medicines, high
health costs, universal ambulance
access, and more.
A major effort is also underway
in which CHF is collaborating with
NPS MedicineWise to undertake
the Community Quality Use of
Medicines and Medical Tests
project, which aims to promote
better understanding of health
issues and effective health
decisions.
CLICK HERE to view the report.
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