PATIENTS are being warned that panic buying of prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medicines as concerns about the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) grow, could exacerbate existing medicines shortages.
In a statement released last night, Pharmacy Guild of Australia National President, George Tambassis, stressed stockpiling medicines was unnecessary, adding it could have unintended patient safety consequences.
"The Guild is not aware of any medicine which is currently unavailable or in short supply in Australia specifically because of COVID-19," he said.
"Medication shortages and out of stocks have been part of the pharmacy landscape for the last couple of years threatening continuity of supply for patients and requiring numerous brand substitution changes for some patients, but these issues pre-dated and are entirely unrelated to coronavirus.
"Paradoxically, if panic buying does take hold for medicines and other products, shortages may well arise -- and we certainly hope this can be avoided."
The Guild also reminded pharmacists of their professional and legal responsibilities to ensure appropriate and safe supply of prescription medicines, and dispensing multiple repeats without good reason was inadvisable and outside the guidelines published by the Pharmacy Board of Australia.
The Guild noted that in some jurisdictions pharmacists are required to check with the prescribing doctor before issuing multiple repeat supplies of a medicine at the same time.
The statement noted the Board's guidelines say, "when not directed by the prescriber, the simultaneous supply of multiple quantities of a particular medicine (i.e. the supply of multiple repeats at once) may be contrary to the Quality Use of Medicines principles outlined in the National Medicines Policy".
"It does not promote regular review of therapy and effective provision of medicine information by pharmacists, which may assist in minimising medication misadventure," the guidelines state.
"It may also be contrary to state or territory legislation."
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