News
Pharmacy assistant of the year goes virtual
The annual Pharmacy Assistant of the Year Award will go ahead in 2020, moving entirely online for the first time in the event’s 14-year history Nominations for the 2020 Pharmacy …
Amazon on the move
A Guild leader says the organisation will do “whatever it takes” to defend the current pharmacy model, as Amazon applies for another health trademark Amazon has reportedly filed an application …
‘Historians and epidemiologists will write whole books on what’s happened here.’
Tambassis congratulates community pharmacies across Australia, and says their crucial role should be recognised in the 7CPA – but ‘time is running out’ on negotiations Pharmacy Guild national president George …
Questions raised over research
A group of researchers, statisticians and clinicians, including doctors and pharmacists, have called for an independent audit and review of The Lancet’s large hydroxychloroquine study Last month, a large observational …
New advice on combinations
PBS issues new claiming advice on opioid combinations as listing changes take effect From yesterday (1 June 2020) Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) listings have changed for opioid products. The PBS …
Pandemic position
What roles can a specialised COVID pharmacist play? One Australian hospital found out The deployment of a specialised COVID pharmacist position has “proven a key and responsive member of the …
Reprimands, complaints up compared to previous quarter
The VPA conducted 20 panel hearings in the first three months of this year alone, with 12 of these resulting in a reprimand and eight in a caution The Victorian …
Biologic treatment for severe asthma listed on PBS
A new pre-filled autoinjector for at-home administration of mepolizumab will be reimbursed by the PBS from 1 June Patients with severe refractory eosinophilic asthma can now choose to receive treatment …
Rural pharmacies fill gap left by doctor shortages
Temporary measures allowing community pharmacists to provide one-month supply of a patient’s regular medication when they can’t get a script should be made permanent, argues rural group While COVID-19 and …
Combination inhaler PBS listed for mild asthma
Symbicort is now PBS-listed for any form of asthma severity – mild, moderate or severe. So how should this change your conversations with patients asking for an OTC blue puffer? …
The week in review
As the sector waits for the 7CPA to be signed, GPs have complained about pharmacy and flu jabs, one stakeholder called for ‘sweeping change’ to pharmacy and there are new …
COVID-19: the pharmacist impact
Italy is one of the nations that has been most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. New data shows just how it has affected community pharmacists Since the beginning of …