MEASURES allowing pharmacists to supply emergency quantities of medicines funded under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) need to be extended in line with emergency measures in Victoria, the Pharmacy Guild of Australia believes.
Speaking to Pharmacy Daily, Guild Victorian Branch President, Anthony Tassone, said the current rules empowering pharmacists to supply PBS medicines under continued dispensing are set to expire on 30 Sep.
"With the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services extending the public health emergency order that allows for continued dispensing of prescription only medicines where obtaining a prescription is not practical for the patient, it is imperative that the Federal government extend their expanded continued dispensing arrangements to recognise PBS subsidies to apply to eligible patients," he said.
"The Victorian public health emergency order has been extended by six months and will now expire in Mar 2021 (unless revoked earlier).
"The Federal expanded continued dispensing arrangements are due to expire 30 Sep.
"The Guild's position is that these arrangements at both a State and Federal level should be ongoing whether we are in a state of disaster, emergency or a pandemic.
"Patients have benefited from these measures to ensure continuity of care and not add unnecessary strain on our health system.
"This is of particular importance in Victoria with metropolitan Melbourne still in Stage 4 lockdown and regional Victoria still in some form of COVID restrictions.
"The Guild has made representations direct to Minister for Health, Greg Hunt, on the need for the expanded continued dispensing arrangements to be extended at a federal level and we await their response."
Meanwhile, Tassone confirmed that three of 12 Guild Victorian Branch Committee districts will be contested in the upcoming elections (PD 11 Sep).
The Australian Electoral Commission has yet to publish a full list of candidates running for positions on the State and Territory branches.
However, it is understood that 31 candidates are set to contest the NSW Branch elections, with all 12 districts being contested.
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 17 Sep 20
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