ACCESSING information about medicines shortages is the main reason pharmacists visit the Therapeutic Goods Administration's (TGA's) website, the regulator's 2020 stakeholder survey reveals.
The survey found 92% of pharmacist respondents reported visiting the site in the last 12 months, with 69% reporting they logged on at least once a month, while 8% said they hadn't been on the site in 2020.
While a similar proportion of other non-pharmacist health professionals reported visiting the TGA site over the course of the last 12 months, 40% said they had been just once.
Close to two-thirds of pharmacists said they had been to the site for information about shortages, while 37% said they had sought information about health professionals, and 36% went to the site for product details.
One-in-five pharmacists visited to report problems and adverse events, with the same proportion saying they went for TGA news and for access to educational materials.
The survey found 31% of pharmacist respondents went to the TGA for information related to COVID-19.
When it came to pharmacists' perceptions of medicines shortages information on the TGA site, 88% reported that it was helpful, and 92% said it was trustworthy.
Reviewing the TGA's performance in 2020, 64% of pharmacist respondents felt the regulator responded effectively to COVID-19, compared to 49% of other health professionals and 40% of consumers.
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 12 Jan 21
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