AUSTRALIA'S Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) may be under threat as a result of measures designed to protect its sustainability, Pharmacy Guild of Australia, Victorian Branch President, Anthony Tassone, (pictured) warns.
Speaking to Pharmacy Daily, Tassone said pharmacies across the country have been struggling with medicines shortages.
Tassone said the shortages have been occurring for some time, becoming particularly pronounced over the last 18 months.
"Medications shortages may occur for a variety of reason, possibly difficulty sourcing ingredients or from recalls," he said.
"However, it's got to the point where questions need to be answered as to whether PBS reforms and price disclosure in trying to make the PBS more sustainable are at risk of making it unsustainable from a continuity of supply perspective.
"New PBS listings have been made possible due to the cost containment and headroom on the PBS from price reductions. This has been a good thing up until now for the Australian public to access new PBS medicines.
"However, going forward PBS spending is forecast to decline in real terms and is one of the few parts of the health budget doing so.
"The lemon has been squeezed dry. Heck, the lemon peel has been thrown out and there is no more juice left unless we're prepared as a health system to buy more lemon and inject new investment for medicine supply."
Tassone said the supply shortages had left pharmacists "foraging for stock when they want to and need to be delivering care for their patients".
He said the Guild had made representations to the Department of Health highlighting the concerns of pharmacists and patients prior to the election, and expects discussions to resume now the Government is out of 'caretaker mode'.
"One of the main pillars of National Medicines Policy is equity of access for Australians to PBS listed medicines," he said.
"If we can't assure supply to the Australian market, then it risks a very fundamental piece of our health system.
"We have a world-class system in the PBS, but it is at risk of not staying first world without proper investment."
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 29 May 19
To see the full newsletter, see the embedded issue below or CLICK HERE to download Pharmacy Daily from 29 May 19
