Mark Butler ‘is wrong on medicine shortages’, says Pharmacy Guild

The Pharmacy Guild of Australia says more than 150 of the pharmaceuticals that have been recommended for longer dispensing are in constrained supply.

Health Minister Mark Butler. Picture: Getty Images

The Pharmacy Guild of Australia is disputing the advice given to federal Health Minister Mark Butler on medicines shortages, ­alleging more than 150 of the pharmaceuticals that have been recommended for longer dispensing are in constrained supply.

Mr Butler announced last week that consumers would be able to secure 60-day supplies of 325 common medicines under a single script as a result of dispensing changes under the Pharmaceutical Benefit Scheme.

The changes contained in next week’s budget and due to be phased in from September mean millions of consumers will save hundreds of dollars a year in PBS co-payments, with double the supply able to be dispensed for the price of one script.

Mr Butler has said that only seven of the 325 medicines on the list recommended for 60-day prescribing were subject to supply shortages and did not have a clinically available alternative. The group of 325 medicines was recommended for 60-day prescribing by the independent Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee in updated advice last December.

The Pharmacy Guild has now written to all Labor MPs challenging the government’s position on the medicine shortages.

“The Guild is aware that Members of Parliament have been briefed that 98% of the 325 medicines which are proposed by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) for 60-day dispensing are in good supply,” a letter to the MPs says.

“Similarly, there have been public statements that only 7 of the 325 medicines are subject to shortages. Sadly, both assertions are incorrect. The 325 medicines are available in different strengths and combinations across 933 Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme codes. Of these 933 codes, the Therapeutic Goods Administration lists, at time of writing, 133 as existing shortages and a further 25 as anticipated shortages, total of 158.”

Among the drugs recommended for longer dispensing that are subject to shortage are Trulicity and Ozempic for diabetes, Cadivast, Acetec Teveten and for blood pressure, Simpral for Parkinson’s, and Zoloft for depression.

The letter signed by Pharmacy Guild president Trent Twomey attached a document outlining 158 medicines that are proposed for double dispensing limits and are identified by the TGA as being in short supply.

Pharmacy owners are in revolt over the policy and are focusing their campaign against the changes on the threat of mass medicine shortages.

However, Mr Butler’s office insisted in response to the letter than “the government’s cheaper medicine reforms won’t affect medicine availability and it won’t add to shortages”.

“While eligible Australians will be able to buy double the medicine on single script, overall demand for medicines will remain unchanged,” a spokesperson said.

“The fact is the pharmacy lobby group is deliberately misleading consumers with a dishonest scare campaign. Most shortages are short-term, temporary disruptions and/or limited to some brands, strengths or formulations.

“Of the medicines subject to (longer dispensing) on the TGA shortages list, seven don’t have an alternative (ie other brands, strengths or formulations available for substitution). The phased rollout over the cheaper medicines policy in three tranches, along with the fact patients will exhaust their existing prescriptions first, will minimise the likelihood of a sudden surge in ­demand.”