Labor’s PBS reforms ‘could lead to drug Hunger Games’, pharmacists warn

Pharmacists warn Labor’s proposed drug dispensing changes could trigger extreme medicine shortages as new polling reveals most Australians also oppose the reforms.

Pharmacists Joseph Kim and Trent Twomey at Priceline Pharmacy in the Sydney suburb of Beecroft. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dylan Coker

More than 80 per cent of Australians are opposed to Anthony Albanese’s plan to double the medicines a patient can purchase from July 1 if it leads to medicine shortages, according to new polling.

The new data comes as Pharmacy Guild of Australia national president Trent Twomey warned Labor’s intention to allow 60-day dispensing could lead to a “Hunger Games” stand-off, with some patients getting double the medicine they need while others go without.

Pharmacists have launched a co-ordinated campaign against Labor’s move to extend the dispensing time frame from 30 to 60 days amid warnings millions of Australians will face extreme medicine shortages and months-long wait times for critical drugs.

The warnings come after The Weekend Australian revealed one of the biggest shake-ups of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, which pharmacists say will impact 304 PBS medicines and put around 75 medicines in chronic shortage.

Community pharmacists across the country have heaped pressure on their federal MPs to halt the changes which are expected to free up more than $1bn in the May budget, and cut an estimated $3.5bn from pharmacies over the next four years.

Under the reforms, the Pharmacy Guild of Australia says drugs to treat common illnesses including depression, high blood pressure, reflux, diabetes, high cholesterol, epilepsy and parkinson’s will be plunged into extreme shortage, with brand names including Lexapro, Zoloft, Crestor, Diabex, Somac, Sifrol, Actonel, Tritace and Keppra.

The National President of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, Professor Trent Twomey.

Mr Twomey said Australians did not support a policy if it meant pharmacy shelves become bare and patients miss out on vital medicines, as he called on Labor to reconsider.

“If the federal government proceeds with this proposal, everyday prescription medicine will be put into severe shortages lasting months, not days or weeks,” Mr Twomey said.

“The research is crystal clear, Australians do not support a policy if it means pharmacy shelves are bare and patients miss out on vital medicine that they need. We are calling on the Federal Government to reconsider.”

The move has ignited a fight between pharmacists and doctors, who strongly support the government’s change arguing it will make medicines cheaper and more accessible for Australians.

Royal Australian College of GPs president Nicole Higgins said the reforms were backed by experts as she attacked the “record profits” of the pharmacy sector.

“We strongly support the government’s policy on this, bigger pack sizes and longer scripts make it easier and cheaper for consumers. This has been backed by the experts since 2017 and this is about making things cheaper and easier for patients,” Ms Higgins said.

“This is coming at a time when a recent Westpac report showed record profits for the Pharmacy Guild and there‘s no evidence of the shortage of the medications that is being included in this recommendation.

“Bigger pack sizes are for chronic stable medical conditions and it will result in less visits required to the GP so it will free up access and means patients will not have to go every month to pick up scripts.

“I understand that retail pharmacists might be concerned that they will lose retail sales but retail sales have nothing to do with healthcare which is what this is for Australians.”

Pharmacy Guild of Australia polling found 47 per cent of voters thought 60-day dispensing should not go ahead and another 37 per cent thought it should not be introduced if it worsened medicine shortages.

Just six per cent of voters believed 60-day dispensing should go ahead regardless of its impact on medicine shortages.

The polling was conducted by Insightfully on April 6-7 with a sample size of nearly 2300 voters across the country.

Mr Twomey also warned the reforms would increase the risk of accidental overdose, including for children, with more medicine lying around in family homes.