AUSTRALIAN Medical Association (AMA) representatives are being urged to learn a little more about the skills pharmacists possess before dictating their scope of practice.
A number of pharmacists have taken to social media to challenge the AMA's insistence that pharmacists should not be allowed to practice beyond their current scope, while issuing apocalyptic warnings that pharmacist prescribing and treatment of minor ailments would undermine patient-safety, repeatedly stating "pharmacists are not doctors".
The AMA's stance prompted one pharmacist to ask, "what is the AMA's view on the scope of practice for lawyers?"
"Engineers perhaps? Or [is it] just pharmacy where they presume the right to dictate what another profession should do?" the pharmacist asked in a tweet.
"Exactly what does the AMA know about pharmacists?
"No disrespect, but how about finding out a bit more?"
Another pharmacist described the AMA's comments about pharmacy as "laughable", adding "it is not appropriate for you to dictate the scope of practice of another profession".
Pharmaceutical Society of Australia South Australia/Northern Territory Vice President, Samuel Keitaanpaa, suggested the AMA was "obsessed" with reining in pharmacists' scope of practice.
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