ONGOING medicines supply shortages are not going to go away without strong leadership and collaboration between pharmacists, prescribers and regulators, Pharmacy Guild of Australia Victorian Branch President, Anthony Tassone, believes.
Responding to comments from a Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) spokesperson, that pharmacists should contact overseas manufacturers to source medicines, reported in The Australian, Tassone told Pharmacy Daily that "prescribers and pharmacists are busy enough delivering care to patients without having to contend with contacting overseas-based manufacturers and suppliers to source supply for their patients".
"Prescribers and pharmacies are doing their absolute best to ensure there is no interruption of treatment for patients and collaborate every day across the country to do so," Tassone said.
"Recent media coverage regarding medication shortages and comments from doctors and pharmacists are a clear cry for help to rectify the untenable situation we are facing for the sake of our patients.
"We need to collaborate to work on deliverable solutions such as: more timely therapeutic substitution notices, more transparent reporting obligations for manufacturers and defining what a critical medication shortage is, supply guarantees for any medication that is listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) and considering what ongoing impact is the current price disclousre regime having on certainty of medicines for Australian patients?
"Hope is not a strategy - hoping the problem goes away is not going to fix it.
"We need leadership, we need solutions and we need to work together to see that happen for the sake of our patients."
The Australian Medical Association (AMA) suggested the TGA had been "asleep at the wheel", failing to address shortages that have been a problem for several years.
"Is our Federal Department of Health going to deal with medication shortages by delegating all responsibility to the cottage industry end of the pharmacy industry?" an AMA spokesperson asked.
"Do they truly believe that suburban pharmacies should be conducting international trade inquiries?"
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 27 Jan 21
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