The Guild must defend CSO
March 23, 2012
THE Pharmacy Guild of Australia
needs to put in place an action plan
in defence of pharmacists before
the Community Service Obligation
(CSO) Agreement is irreparably
wounded, according to according to
former Pharmacy Guild President,
John Bronger.
“I am deeply saddened by the
Pharmacy Guild of Australia’s
failure to protect its members, their
customers and, more broadly,
national health policy from the
damage being wrought by Pfizer
and its exclusive distribution
model,” said Bronger.
“More than a year after the
launch of Pfizer Direct there is no
Guild action and there is no Guild
plan,” he added.
The Guild, according to Bronger,
could play a pivotal role in resolving
this issue, acting as an intermediary
between key stakeholders,
including the CSO wholesalers, the
Government and Pfizer.
“Pharmacists deserve an
explanation as to why it has so far
failed to do so,” he said.
“The Guild has an obligation to
work with stakeholders in a way
that restores certainty to the supply
of PBS medicines as intended under
the CSO Agreement,” he added.
Bronger went on to urge the
Pharmacy Guild to act now in
support of the CSO and its
members, before other wholesalers
follow Pfizer’s lead.
“At that point, a central pillar of
our national health policy will be
under severe strain and the supply
of PBS medicines will be
dangerously uncertain,” Bronger
added.
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