THE postponed shutdown of the Pharmacy Guild's MedsASSIST codeine decision support system for pharmacists (PD breaking news) is simple common sense that has been backed across the board.
With the software scheduled to be shut down at 10pm last night, health minister Greg Hunt intervened at the last moment and expressed his strong support for continuing the system - particularly between now and 01 Feb 2018 when codeine containing medicines will become prescription-only.
The Guild said it would keep the system going as a sign of good faith, while the minister seeks urgent advice on the necessary steps to strengthen the regulatory underpinnings of MedsASSIST.
Pharmaceutical Society of Australia national president Joe Demarte congratulated the minister for stepping in, saying pharmacists across the country had expressed concerns about the shutdown of the system many were using to help address misuse of codeine.
"Pharmacists are strongly committed to addressing the issue of inappropriate use of codeine in Australia," Demarte said.
He reiterated previous submissions to the government about the urgent implementation of a national real-time recording and reporting system, to allow for monitoring of prescribing and dispensing of specific medicines.
"There is a need for real-time recording to be expanded to include all drugs of dependence," the PSA president said.
The Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia also applauded the stay of execution for the system, with ceo Kristin Michaels agreeing that MedsASSIST played an important role in monitoring the supply of codeine-containing medicines.
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