medicines
Active ingredient script changes
New legislative changes, requiring active ingredients to be included on most PBS and RPBS prescriptions, will be mandatory from 1 February 2021 The 2018-19 Budget announced the Federal Government’s commitment …
Topping the charts
We list the world’s ten biggest selling medicines in 2019 Humira (Adalimumab) remained the world’s biggest selling medicine, in monetary terms, in 2019. The treatment for carious forms of arthritis, …
Rising number of issues
The numbers of medicine recalls and reported shortages increased substantially during the second half of 2019 Australian pharmacists were active in reporting medicine adverse events, and the number of medicine …
Built-in flexibility
Government moves to temporarily ease PBS authority restrictions during pandemic crisis The Australian Government is implementing a temporary measure that allows flexibility around PBS restrictions for eligible PBS medicines to …
Concern over medicine supply
Government questioned over medicine deliveries during times of crisis, with coronavirus and fuel supply raised as issues Federal Parliament has heard a number of calls for action to protect the …
Out of stock
Massive increase in reports of medicine shortages following introduction of mandatory reporting The number of notifications of medicines shortages has jumped massively following the introduction of mandatory reporting in January …
A question of safety
Leading pharmacy groups are set to join in talks to formulate a joint safety policy, say Chris Freeman and Leanne Wells Next week will see the convening of a Strategic …
‘This bill won’t fix the crisis.’
Bill to reduce PBS safety net thresholds from 1 January 2020 has now passed both Houses, but Labor criticises government on medicines costs The National Health Amendment (Safety Net Thresholds) …
Deal or no-deal
TGA says it is prepared for any shortages resulting from a no-deal Brexit The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) says it will implement “transitional arrangements to provide for minimal interruption in …
Under the co-payment
The number of under co-payment scripts continues to increase with about 90 million supplied in 2017-18 – mostly for antibiotics, antidepressants and statins From 1 July 2017 to 30 June …
Television, the drug of the nation
What are the 10 most heavily advertised pharmaceuticals on US television? New data published on US industry website Fierce Pharma shows the increasing level of spending by pharmaceutical manufacturers on …
Happy World Pharmacists’ Day!
Australian pharmacy organisations have celebrated World Pharmacists’ Day by pointing out that pharmacists could take on more Pharmacists and their organisations took to Twitter to celebrate their global day, which …