Guild welcomes mandatory reporting of medicines shortages

The Pharmacy Guild has welcomed the passing of legislation to make reporting of essential medicines shortages mandatory.

The legislation, which comes into effect on 1 January 2019, also provides a welcome opportunity to provide PBS coverage for alternative medicines when there are shortages.

Medicine shortages have become an increasing problem in recent years not just in Australia but around the world. A shortage of a critical medicine places patients’ lives at risk.

The move to a mandatory reporting regime will significantly improve communication around medicine shortages for the benefit of patients and health professionals – something we have been advocating for some years.

Timely communication about medicine shortages and available alternatives is vital to providing the best level of care for patients.

Too many times in the past, community pharmacists have been affected by shortages with no warning or readily available information. This legislation will significantly reduce the likelihood of sub-standard patient care arising from unforeseen and un-notified medicine shortages.

As a member of the Medicines Partnership of Australia, the Pharmacy Guild has been working with the Minister and the TGA on this over the past 15 months.

In making the announcement, the Minister for Health, Greg Hunt, thanked the Guild and other organisations which “have worked collaboratively together and with government to design a new approach that will support and protect Australian patients”.