FEDERAL Health Minister Mark Butler yesterday released an "updated and strengthened National Medicines Policy (NMP)", with the new document - the first revision in more than two decades - developed via an extensive review and public consultation process (PD 23 Aug) by the Department of Health and Aged Care over the last two years.
Butler (pictured) said it was vital that medicines are prescribed and used appropriately, that people have the information they need to make informed choices, and that their health care is well organised and based on their needs.
"Yet these goals are not being met for all Australians, such as those in rural or remote communities, or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people...governments, health professionals, industry, researchers, and educators need to work together so that all Australians can access medicines that improve their health," Butler said.
The second edition of the NMP is a high level framework which focuses on the availability and the use of medicines and medicine-related services, including research, manufacture, regulation, evaluation, supply, dispensing, storage and access to medicines.
"It promotes the quality use of medicines and medicines safety by focusing on the current and future health needs of people, and the responsibilities of all partners to achieve the best health, social and economic outcomes for all Australians," the NMP notes.
Key pillars include equitable, timely, safe and reliable access to medicines and medicine-related services at affordable prices; quality use of medicines and medicines safety; ensuring quality, safety and efficacy; and collaborative, innovative and sustainable medicines industry and research sectors with capability to respond to current and future health needs.
Supply chains encompassed by the NMP include product sponsors, manufacturers, wholesalers, health software providers, hospitals, community and hospital pharmacies, Aboriginal Health Services and residential aged care facilities.
Industry bodies have strongly backed the refreshed NMP, including the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, with PSA National President Fei Sim saying the document is consistent with the Pharmacists in 2023 plan developed by the Society.
"PSA has long advocated for the NMP to be reviewed so we are very pleased to see the Minister deliver on this today," she said.
"We welcome support for national pharmacovigilance systems, however it is crucial that these systems be nationally coordinated and real-time in order to significantly reduce harms which can be caused by medicines.
"We also welcome the recognition that clinical indicators will need to be used to evaluate policy," Sim added, also welcoming a government commitment to five yearly reviews to ensure the NMP stays up to date.
"PSA has long been concerned about the preventable harm caused by medicines and has driven the conversation on medicine safety in Australia," Sim said.
"We are excited to see changes in policy which should help drive solutions and improve medicine safety for all Australians and look forward to partnering with the government and other organisations to deliver on the goals of this policy."
The Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia also expressed strong support for the new NMP, with President Tom Simpson noting that when the policy was first developed in 2000 there was no overlap between public hospitals and the PBS.
"Now our hospital pharmacies in public and private settings are custodians of nearly one quarter of annual PBS expenditure," he said.
The full policy is available online at health.gov.au.
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