DOCTORS in Australia may be banned from prescribing drugs to online patients they have not previously met, under likely changes to telehealth being developed by the Medical Board of Australia.
Mainstream media reports today cited statements by Federal Health Minister, Mark Butler, who said while technology had helped the health sector navigate COVID-19 for the benefit of patients and doctors, "we need to make sure that happens in a way that aligns with good clinical practice".
The key issue is the rapid rise of several fast-growing start-up businesses selling weight loss medications to people based on completion of an online quiz, in some cases allegedly without fully verifying identities or seeing the faces of patients.
"I have been concerned at some of the reports about [business models] that have developed to fill what is clearly a shortage of access to traditional doctor services," Butler told the Sydney Morning Herald.
"And I think there is a question mark over some of these business models that have been developed at the fringe," the Minister added.
The Medical Board is expected to shortly release new telehealth prescribing rules which will particularly impact the online weight loss medication providers such as Midnight Health, Juniper and Pilot, which the Herald recently highlighted for sending drugs to patients without requiring video calls or formal identification.
Midnight Health, majority owned by health insurer nib, has said it will strengthen its procedures in the next fortnight to require photos or a video call for all weight loss prescriptions.
Woolworths, who is an investor in Juniper's parent company, Eucalyptus, said it expected any company in which it invested "to operate at a high standard and abide by any regulatory or other requirements".
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 25 May 23
To see the full newsletter, see the embedded issue below or CLICK HERE to download Pharmacy Daily from 25 May 23
