Pharmacy Daily | No place for meds near Krispy Kreme

CIGARETTES and alcohol do not belong in pharmacies, and prescription medications should not be sold in convenience stores, Pharmacy Guild of Australia National President, George Tambassis (pictured), believes.

Responding to comments from Australasian Association of Convenience Stores CEO, Jeff Rogut, published in The Age and SMH, over the weekend, that consumers want to access pharmacy services from their 7-Eleven, Tambassis defended the Pharmacy Location Rules.

"When we do surveys of our customers, pharmacy ranks up there with things like postal services as one of the top items they would like to see in a convenience store," Rogut said.

"The reason why is because of the extended hours, the ability to park easily, get in and out quickly and do all the things they want to do ... it would save them time and be more convenient.

"If there was the opportunity of doing the US drug store concept, like CVS or Walgreens, that would be warmly welcomed."

However, Tambassis said the location rules had ensured Australians have better access to pharmacies than supermarkets, banks and medical centres.

"In capital cities, 95 per cent of consumers are no further than two-and-a-half kilometres from a pharmacy. In regional areas, that figure is 72 per cent," he said.

"According to the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS), there are more pharmacists in remote Australia than there are GPs, specialists, psychologists or physiotherapists," he said.

"Our pharmacists also make sure that patients take their medication correctly and offer health advice and screening."

Tambassis highlighted that many of the drugs pharmacists dispense can be deadly if not taken correctly.

"These aren't the sort of services you could get at a 7-Eleven wedged between the Krispy Kreme doughnuts or next to the alcohol or cigarettes that supermarkets sell."

Urging for an expansion of the role of frontline staff such as pharmacists, Tambassis said this will broaden Australian's access to "basic health care that is faster, more affordable and convenient for them".

In addition, this would help alleviate society's healthcare costs associated with the ageing population and pressure on overburdened doctors.