AUSTRALIA'S COVID-19 threat may have stabilised, but ensuring medicines supplies to hospitals remains critical to patient safety, the Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia (SHPA) warns.
SHPA CEO, Kristin Michaels, told Pharmacy Daily that the organisation is using pharmacists' frontline data to inform national emergency policy around medicines supply, as it briefs the Therapeutic Goods Administration on drug shortages in hospitals.
"Through our representation on the Department of Health's Medicines Shortages Working Group we are providing weekly updates on prevalent shortages and hospital pharmacy capacity to ensure our hospitals remain resourced to handle COVID-19 cases, as well as elective surgeries coming back online," she said.
"While Australia's COVID-19 caseload has stabilised, we remain vulnerable to an increase and ensuring sufficient supply of medicines to our hospitals is a critical component of national preparations."
Michaels said managing medication shortages was key to maintaining hospital bed capacity in the current environment.
Meanwhile more than 70 hospitals in Australia and New Zealand are set to participate in the screened AustralaSian COVID-19 Trial (ASCOT) of hydroxychloronquine and antiretroviral combination lopinavir/ritonavir.
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 22 Apr 20
To see the full newsletter, see the embedded issue below or CLICK HERE to download Pharmacy Daily from 22 Apr 20
