QUEENSLAND'S trial of pharmacist prescribing is a "fundamental corruption of a safety check that has stood the test of time", according to the Australian Medical Association (AMA).
AMA President Dr Tony Bartone slammed the Qld Government's decision to approve a trial of pharmacist prescribing (PD 18 Apr), warning it would create conflicts of interest in the health system.
"No other State or Territory in Australia allows these medicines to be prescribed by pharmacists," he said.
"The AMA supports non-medical health practitioners, including pharmacists, prescribing in a medically-led and delegated team environment.
"But pharmacists working within a retail pharmacy environment should never prescribe...pharmacists deriving an income from medicines they prescribe represents a fundamental conflict of interest.
"Doctors derive no income or any other benefit from prescribing medicines...the separation of prescribing and dispensing is critical for patient safety," Bartone fumed.
He said the Qld model was a fundamental corruption of a safety check that has stood the test of time, adding that "there must be a separation between prescribing by a doctor, who prescribes with no financial or other benefit, and the dispensing of that medication by a pharmacist, who is solely responsible for checking the dosage and frequency.
"The Queensland approach means that retail pharmacists, receiving a financial benefit from every prescription, will now have a licence to do both, which potentially puts patients at risk."
Bartone said it was extremely worrying that the Qld approach would see pharmacists prescribing with no consultation with doctors.
"Multiple prescribers caring for a patient, independent of each other, is just bad health care" he said.
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