Posted by Michael Wonder on 30 Aug 2019
'We're not selling fruit and veg here': Why pharmacists, doctors and retailers are fighting over your medicines
30 August 2019 - They have been described as the most powerful lobby group in Australia, feared by politicians from both major parties and at war with doctors. But community pharmacists say they just want to help keep Australians healthy.
As Health Minister Greg Hunt negotiates a new five-year Community Pharmacy Agreement to govern the sector from mid-2020, he is grappling with a debate over strict rules that limit who can own a chemist shop, what services they can offer and how medicines are priced.
The guild, which represents 5,700 pharmacies, is pushing to be allowed to take on more GP-like tasks such as giving travel vaccinations and prescribing the contraceptive pill. This week, the Australian Medical Association (AMA) hit back by demanding doctors, as well as pharmacists, be permitted to own chemists.
