Pharmacy Daily | No double standard on COVID testing

THE Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) has rejected suggestions that its opposition to Queensland proposed pharmacy-based COVID-19 testing trial is inconsistent with its support of a similar pilot in South Australia.

Pharmacy Guild of Australia Queensland Branch Director, Gerard Benedet, described the PSA's criticism of the Queensland trial as a "slap in the face of pharmacists" in the state.

Benedet noted PSA SA Branch President, Robyn Johns, had described the decision to allow pharmacy-based testing as "forward thinking common-sense", while PSA Queensland Branch President, Shane MacDonald, and National President, Dr Chris Freeman, had both expressed concerns about the Queensland trial.

"This double standard is shocking and all about getting a media splash instead of being consistent and putting the health of Queenslanders first," Benedet said.

"So it's good and sensible to conduct the testing in South Australia but not in Queensland?"

However, Freeman told Pharmacy Daily that SA Health had engaged with the PSA on the pilot to ensure it was implemented as safely as possible for pharmacists, pharmacy staff and the community.

"To ensure the South Australian pilot captured incidental customers only, the pilot was not overtly promoted and was limited to a very small number of carefully selected, unidentified sites, which is in stark contrast to that of the Queensland Government," he said.

"The very public promotion of the trial was reckless and sent a very dangerous message that could lead to people potentially with COVID-19 wandering into a pharmacy to get tested.

"Our ongoing concern is that people at risk will present to pharmacies preferentially before designated COVID-19 testing centres and PSA members have already reported telephone calls from patients to Queensland pharmacies asking for a test.

"We have continually asked members of the community not to enter a pharmacy if they are unwell and displaying COVID-19 symptoms and this advice stands.

"Since the Queensland trial was announced, we have had an overwhelming amount of feedback from pharmacists, fearful for their own safety and that of their staff."