News
PBS drops signature requirement
Government confirms removal of patient signature requirement to acknowledge receipt of a pharmaceutical benefit Amendments to the National Health (Pharmaceutical Benefits) Regulations 2017 announced today (3 April) remove the requirement …
Red tape returns to pharmacy
Pens and paper are set to return to dispensary counters as the exemption for patients to sign for prescriptions expires Requirements for patients to provide written acknowledgement for the receipt …
Pharmacist linked to ‘substandard’ online Ozempic
Pharmacist accused of running underground compounding enterprise amid investigations into an international “substandard” Ozempic (semaglutide) scam A Sydney-based pharmacist whose registration includes conditions barring him from compounding is being linked …
Workforce shortages extend to pharmacy technicians
Shortages of hospital and community pharmacists are continuing to impact all jurisdictions across the country data from Jobs and Skills Australia reveals Employers in all jurisdictions, with the exception of …
‘Medications still need to be physically dispensed’
Community pharmacists say e-prescribing is convenient and easy to use – but managing patient expectations on dispensing time can be a barrier Community pharmacists and pharmacy technicians across the world …
Price pressures
What are the 5 key forces at play in the current pharmacy market? Natalie Sirianni explains The last 5 years Over the last five or so years, we have seen …
The week in review
This week featured vaccination news, a look at the issues facing rural and regional pharmacists, and an examination of vaping The Royal Flying Doctors Service forecast the worsening of the …
60-day savings will grow: MP
Labor MP lauds cost-of-living relief from government’s double dispensing policy Savings stemming from Labor’s cut to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) general co-payment and 60-day dispensing “will grow”, backbencher …
Call for paracetamol to go S4
New research indicates the upscheduling of modified-release paracetamol has had no impact on rates of overdose, with calls for it to go to prescription only A new Australian study has …
Five-year ban for taking exploitative photos
A doctor and qualified pharmacist has been banned from providing any health service after his “disgraceful and contemptible” conduct The practitioner had been registered as a pharmacist between 2008 and …
‘Don’t be worried, we actually love an excuse to sit and look at your tablets’
How can patients start conversations about deprescribing – and where can pharmacists come in? Pharmacists were recently offered a consumer perspective As part of MedsAware: Deprescribing Action Week last week …
Medicines access at risk again
Pharmacists are again calling on governments to make continued dispensing measures permanent, as the current arrangements expire The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia has highlighted that the National Health (Continued Dispensing – …