Senate Estimates
Week in Review
Once again 60-day dispensing dominated the headlines over the last seven days following the latest round of Senate Estimates Hearings Department of Health officials have revealed that a casting call …
Gallagher wants pharmacists providing more health services
Minister reiterates desire to see pharmacists as health professionals rather than “retailers” Double dispensing will give community pharmacists the opportunity to provide a broader range of health services, Senator Katy …
Trust needs to be restored before 8CPA talks
Labor is unlikely to open talks on the Eighth Community Pharmacy Agreement (8CPA) without an apology from the Pharmacy Guild of Australia Concerns around an alleged breach of confidentiality by …
Guild underestimating 60-day dispensing impacts
Reductions in pharmacy opening hours and cutbacks in services may only be the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the impacts of double dispensing Senate Estimates hears Grim …
Pharmacies paying for government savings: Ruston
Community pharmacies will bear the cost of the government’s 60-day dispensing policy, Shadow Health Minister, Senator Anne Ruston, claims Labor should not be taking credit for delivering cost-of-living relief through …
Skerritt estimates hearing suspended five times
Outgoing Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) boss, Professor John Skerritt, endured an interrupted appearance at Senate Estimates yesterday The hearing was suspended five times in the space of an hour, as …
Shedding light on the vaping situation
Answers finally from the Department of Health after questions over Tasmanian vaping dispensing uptake It’s taken an election, a change of government, and the departure of the Senator who asked …
No visibility on vaping scripts: TGA
Some “initial evaluation” of the prescription vaping model may commence in the second half of 2022, but data is currently hard to come by, TGA head reveals TGA chair Adjunct …
RATs in ‘plentiful supply’
The RAT shortage is over, Secretary of the Department of Health, Dr Brendan Murphy has told a Senate Estimates Committee When questioned about the availability of rapid antigen tests, a …
Under-12 vax coming to pharmacy?
Pharmacy on the agenda for delivering primary school age COVID vaccinations, but states may be a stumbling block Pharmacies are being considered by the Federal Department of Health as prime …
Dragging the chain on vaping rules
Senate hears which state continues to require pharmacies to have a tobacco license to supply vaping products, while the first fine for inappropriate promotion is issued The first fine has …
Complaints over pharmacy cannabis prices
The Department of Health says it has nothing to do with regulating the prices charged by pharmacies for medicinal cannabis products Complaints regarding clinic consultations and the prices charged for …