NPSA joins anti-Review chorus

THE National Pharmaceutical Services Association (NPSA) has called for a more robust assessment of the role Australia’s fullline wholesalers play in the delivery of the National Medicines Policy (NMP) in its response to the Review of Pharmacy Regulation and Remuneration’s Interim Report.

The NPSA expressed both general and specific issues it has with the Interim Report’s findings, “which fail overall to sufficiently recognise the complex, interdependent relationships that exist across the pharmaceutical supply chain and for the wholesaling industry in particular”.

NPSA chairman Mark Hooper said “There is a lack of rigour in assessing the practical implementation and the subsequent implications, intended or otherwise, of its alternatives”.

The Review recommended a distribution model which places the obligation of medicine delivery directly on manufacturers through a panel of distributors, a model which “offers no obvious benefit and has significant drawbacks, including greater regulatory burden for government; greater administrative burden for pharmacy; increased risks to medicines availability due to diminished system redundancy; greater complexity across the supply chain and the potential for market power imbalance,” Hooper said.

“In the interests of Australian consumers and our community pharmacy customers who are dependent on it, CSO wholesalers remain committed to finding a workable outcome for Government and sustainable remuneration for the sector,” Hooper added.

See NPSA’s formal submission to the interim report from the <ing Review at npsa.org.au.