Pharmacists ready to do more: PSA calls for pharmacists to have a more prominent role in harm reduction
16 September 2026
The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) welcomes the recent report for the inquiry into the health impacts of alcohol and other drugs in Australia, published this week by the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care, and Disability.
The report includes recommendations informed by PSA’s submission, highlighting the long-established role of pharmacists in harm reduction, both internationally and in Australia.
In its submission, PSA stated that, compared with other countries, Australian pharmacists are still underutilised and could have a more prominent role in harm reduction and alcohol and other drugs services.
PSA National President, Professor Naunton MPS, emphasised that pharmacists are medicine and medication management experts as well as custodians of the safe, effective, and quality use of medicines for all Australians.
“Pharmacists play a critical role in medicine safety and in ensuring the safe provision of harm reduction services on the frontline,” Professor Naunton said.
“In Australia, pharmacists are improving access to essential services such as the provision of opioid dependence treatment, take-home naloxone, and needle and syringe programs, among others.
“Access to pharmacist-delivered harm reduction services is critical in rural, regional, and remote communities where the report recognises that pharmacists are often the sole health professionals in these locations.”
PSA Harm Reduction Champion, Krishna Nathwani MPS, said pharmacists are well placed as accessible health professionals embedded in the community who deliver life-saving harm reduction services, including reducing opioid-related harms.
“The Take Home Naloxone program has been incredibly successful, with the pilot program demonstrating an estimated three lives saved per day,” Nathwani said.
“However, there are still access gaps in the identification and supply of naloxone to people at risk of experiencing or witnessing opioid toxicity.”
The PSA continues to work closely with governments, Primary Health Networks, and other stakeholders to ensure all Australians have safe access to medicines and receive respectful care when accessing harm reduction services.
Media contact: Leah Jacobsen
M: 0480 099 798 E: leah.jacobsen@psa.org.au
The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia is the only national peak body that represents all of Australia’s pharmacists across all practice settings. We want every Australian to have access to the best healthcare, and this must include optimising access to pharmacists’ knowledge and medicines expertise at the forefront of our healthcare system.
