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Pharmacists to limit dispensing and sales of medicines

The Federal Government has made a clear directive to the Australian public this week to stop stockpiling medicines to ensure the continuity of the medicine supply chain during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia has been hearing from you, our members, that pharmacists are being pressured to dispense unsafe quantities of medicines. In some cases this has included threats of abuse and physical violence.

 

This is unacceptable and has to stop. PSA is dedicated to protecting you, our frontline pharmacists, trying to do your best in these challenging times.

 

From today, the Federal Government is calling on Australians to not stockpile medicines.

 

The Federal Government has now backed all pharmacies to limit dispensing of medicines to one month supply.

 

This gives pharmacists the Government’s backing to say NO to patients who are pressuring them to dispense more than a month’s supply.

 

Peak doctor groups have been contacted by the Government and this message is being re-enforced with them too – prescribing clinicians will be asked to observe the same criteria.

 

There are more than enough medicines in the supply chain today – but if stockpiling continues, this may change.

 

Dispensing multiple months of medicines is unsafe, both for the patient and for the supply chain.

 

We are united and stand with you, as you go above and beyond to care for all Australians during this time.

 

The joint statement on the Limits on dispensing and sales off prescription and over-the-counter medicines to provide you with direction will be on our website here.