PHARMACY owners have not flagged any concerns with the Pharmacy Guild of Australia that pharmacy wholesaler, Sigma, has mishandled prescription medicines or pharmacist-only products, despite concerns reported by the ABC.
The national broadcaster reported that shareholders had raised questions about Sigma's handling and storage of medicines at the company's annual general meeting in Melbourne on Wed 15 May.
Workers had raised concerns that prescription products had allegedly been left exposed to temperatures of up to 40 degrees during the summer.
A spokesperson for the Pharmacy Guild of Australia said the distribution, storage and handling of medicines were subject to strict processes and controls that had to be adhered to.
"To date, the Guild has received no reports of concerns by member pharmacies in regards to the claims made in the ABC report," the spokesperson said.
However, the ABC reported that workers for the wholesaler were concerned it had failed to store medications that require refrigeration properly, leaving them "on the open warehouse floor" at one of Sigma's distribution centres for several hours.
A Sigma spokesperson told the ABC the company "complies with the regulatory requirements for handling of stock including cold-chain medicines, which are delivered to us in cold-chain containers".
"Sigma and our distribution centre network have been subjected to over 20 audits over the past three years...and we have passed every audit," the spokesperson said.
However, National Union of Workers Victoria Assistant Secretary, Dario Mujkic, said the union wanted to put the company on notice.
"The union has heard complaints from several workers...that drugs have allegedly been left out in temperatures over 30 degrees for hours and stock that requires refrigeration," Mujkic said.
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