PBS meds out of reach

MEDICINES costs are forcing many disadvantaged Australians to skip or delay accessing vital drugs, pharmacist turned Federal MP, Emma McBride, says.

The former Chief Pharmacist at Wyong Hospital told the House of Representatives that one-in-14 Australians were avoiding taking prescribed medicines due to cost.

McBride said people living in regional Australia needed “good, strong representation and a minister who cares about them and our community”, instead of boasts about new listings on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).

“One thing about spruiking PBS listings that particularly disturbs me as a pharmacist is: what about people delaying or avoiding filling prescriptions?” she said.

“You can spruik listing any drug on the PBS, but what if people can’t afford to fill prescriptions?

“That is particularly a problem in regional Australia...we know the rate of people skipping prescriptions is twice as high in the most disadvantaged areas as in the least disadvantaged; it is 10% of people in the most disadvantaged areas.

“This means that the cost of medicines is contributing to healthcare inequality in Australia.

“I’ve been there in an outpatient clinic, where a mental health patient said to me, ‘Which medication can I do without?’

“These are real people with major mental health problems who need proper support, and they’re having to make this decision that no-one should have to make: ‘Which one can I skip? Which one can I delay?’”