Pharmacy Daily | No time to wait for naloxone funding

VICTORIAN MP, Dr Tim Read, is calling on the State Government to cover pharmacists' fees for the administration of opioid replacement therapies, including naloxone.

The Greens MP noted patients taking methadone faced dispensing fees of close to $140 a month, because the medications have not been covered by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).

Speaking in the Legislative Assembly last week, Read said, "ideally the Commonwealth would pay the pharmacist this fee for their service, but while they do not, Victoria should step in".

The Brunswick-based GP turned politician told the Assembly that intensive care admissions linked to heroin use cost the State $5,000 a day, while methadone fees were around $35 a week.

"Other states subsidise this treatment, and Victoria already pays for opiate replacement for those aged 18 and under and for recently released prisoners," he said.

"Opiate replacement therapies help people with addiction take control of their lives.

"Helping more people onto these therapies will prevent overdoses and expensive hospital admissions.

"Subsidising this treatment will help people remain on therapy and prevent much of the crime and imprisonment associated with an addiction to an illegal drug.

"All of this will save the state money, and this is why removing fees for opiate replacement therapy was recommended by pharmacy and medical bodies and by the Law Reform, Road and Community Safety Committee in their 2018 report.

"According to budget figures, about 14,000 Victorians currently receive this treatment.

"However, global disruption to the illegal heroin supply due to COVID-19 has reportedly led to more people recently seeking opiate replacement therapy.

"We cannot continue this decades-long wait for the Commonwealth to pay because if we do not act now, all Victorians will lose."

Read also noted that "less than half the pharmacies in Victoria provide opiate replacement therapy because the financial support is inadequate."