RESOLUTION of issues around the medicine supply chain will be a high priority for the Guild in 2018, following the recent decisions by AstraZeneca and Amgen to distribute some products on an exclusive direct supply basis.
Writing in the Guild's Forefront update yesterday, executive director David Quilty said the organisation would be pushing for a "sustainable wholesaling remuneration system and a high cost medicines solution that recognises the cash flow challenges of pharmacies" - as well as rising levels of medicines shortages.
Quilty gave an overview of activity in 2017, including the expansion of pharmacy vaccination and the success of the Pharmacy Compact which increased the Administration, Handling and Infrastructure fee for the remainder of the 6CPA in recognition of lower than estimated PBS subsidised script volumes.
The Compact also allocated $600 million for expanded patient programs focusing on DAAs, staged supply and MedsChecks, and included community pharmacy in the Health Care Homes trial.
"In early 2018 pharmacies' role in the Health Care Home trial will need to be bedded down and the existing trials under the Pharmacy Trial Program taken forward.
"Pharmacies will also face enhanced data collection requirements under the expanded 6CPA patient programs," he said.
2017 has also seen huge activity around the up-scheduling of codeine, and it is envisaged this will continue in the first half of 2018.
Quilty said while governments had not taken up the proposal for an exception to the up-scheduling, "the Guild's ongoing advocacy and the success of MedsASSIST as a patient support tool have highlighted the issue of opioid addiction and the urgent need for a real time monitoring system which must be taken forward in 2018".
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