Influenza prevention focus of new pharmacy competition : 19/03/2009 :

To ensure Australian pharmacies are doing their bit to cut the cost of influenza, the Pharmacy Guild, in conjunction with Gold Cross Products and Services, is running an infection control competition for pharmacy assistants this ‘flu season.

Participating pharmacy assistants must develop an infection control concept, such as an in-store display or health promotion activity, to help inform community pharmacy customers about infection control.

You need to log in to read the rest of this article. Click here for details

Pharmacy Guild and Friendly Societies Pharmacies form alliance : 19/03/2009 :

The Pharmacy Guild of Australia and the Friendly Societies Pharmacies Association have signed an agreement which confirms that, in undertaking its CPA5 negotiations with the Government, the Guild will seek to obtain the best possible outcome for all community pharmacies, including the more than 120 owned by Friendly Societies.

You need to log in to read the rest of this article. Click here for details

NPS advises consumers to avoid further costs by taking medicine as prescribed : 19/03/2009 :

The National Prescribing Service (NPS) has urged consumers to speak to their doctor or pharmacist if they are concerned about the cost of their medicines, warning that suddenly stopping a prescribed medicine can have dangerous consequences.

New research from the Menzies Centre for Health Policy has shown a direct correlation between financial stress and consumers failing to collect prescriptions and skipping doses of medication, which can result in further health complications.

You need to log in to read the rest of this article. Click here for details

Tasmanian Board turns 100 : 19/03/2009 :

The Pharmacy Board of Tasmania first met on 15 December 1908 following the introduction of the Pharmacy Act 1908 in that state.

At two functions in Hobart yesterday pharmacists, past and present Board members and others gathered to celebrate the Board's 100th birthday. The first of these celebrations was a a reception hosted by His Excellency, the Honourable Peter Underwood, Governor of Tasmania and Mrs Underwood at Government House.

You need to log in to read the rest of this article. Click here for details

Software vendor fees to rise? : 19/03/2009 :

The Federal Government is to discontinue payments to dispensing software vendors to support PBS Online.  In response, vendors have indicated that they will have no choice but to introduce PBS Online levies in addition to normal fees in order to continue their current level of service.

An industry source told AusPharm that the extra payments are likely to be between $100 and $200 per month depending on a pharmacy's prescriptrion volume.

The support funding, negotiated as part of the 2006 PBS reforms package, was originally provided to each vendor for two years - some pharmacies have now passed their two year anniversary of PBS Online connectivity, while most others will reach this point in coming months.  As this occurs, the Government payments to software vendors will cease.

You need to log in to read the rest of this article. Click here for details

Anticoagulation services in pharmacy : 18/03/2009 :

The University of Tasmania’s School of Pharmacy is looking for pharmacies involved in the provision of anticoagulation services.

The school is interested in hearing from pharmacies that currently provide, or have previously provided, anticoagulation services through their pharmacy. The project simply involves completing a questionnaire relating to the service that is (or was) provided. 

For more information, or to register your interest in participating, please contact Dr Luke Bereznicki or Ella Jeffrey (on 03 6226 2195/03 6226 1068), or email info@anticoagulation.com

You need to log in to read the rest of this article. Click here for details

Poll: I use the APF.... : 18/03/2009 :

The recent release of the APF 21 has AusPharm wondering how widely it is used.

Peter Allen reported feedback at a recent PSA function was that "I only bought the previous editions because the Board said we had to. This next one I will actually keep handy to browse and look up."

How often do you use the APF in your work as a pharmacist? Please let us know by voting in today's poll below.

Medicines Australia: Pharma jobs under threat : 18/03/2009 :

Pharma industry group Medicines Australia yesterday warned that the global economic crisis threatened hundreds of jobs in Australia' pharmaceutical industry.

Medicines Australia chief executive Ian Chalmers said that the Government could protect jobs and encourage foreign investment in Australia’s pharmaceutical industry by ensuring there were no further cuts to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, and by implementing key industry support measures.

You need to log in to read the rest of this article. Click here for details

Pharmacy backing grows for eRx : 18/03/2009 :

Three thousand pharmacies around Australia will be able to use electronic prescriptions by the middle of this year, with Simple Retail (Aquarius) joining forces with eRx Script Exchange.

You need to log in to read the rest of this article. Click here for details

New format APF21 now available : 17/03/2009 :

The latest edition of The Australian Pharmaceutical Formulary - APF21 - is now available. According to publishers, PSA, APF21 brings together the past, present and future of pharmacy practice and teaching. 

The content incorporates theory and best practice, developed and reviewed by a range of expert contributors and an editorial board chaired by Emeritus Professor Lloyd Sansom.

You need to log in to read the rest of this article. Click here for details

Micardis Plus for a 'Turkey'? : 16/03/2009 :

'Listers who've been around for a while will remember the 'AusPharm "Turkey of the year award" for poor packaging' competition. For those who weren't with us in 2005, all is revealed here.

Micardis Plus didn't get nominated at the time but, if we were to run the competition again, I think it might just sneak in. (Click the picture to see a larger version).

Not a lot to distinguish between the three strengths is there?

RGH E-Bulletin: Desvenlafaxine for depression : 16/03/2009 :

"Desvenlafaxine (O-desmethylvenlafaxine) is the latest antidepressant to be subsidised under the auspices of the pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme for the management of major depressive disorders. Desvenlafaxine, the major active metabolite of venlafaxine, is a serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor (SNRI), with its clinical efficacy as an antidepressant theoretically due to the potentiation of these neurotransmitters in the central nervous system. It is marketed n Australia as Pristiq® and is available as desvenlafaxine succinate extended release tablets containing 50 mg or 100 mg
of desvenlafaxine."

Click here to read the bulletin in full.

The E-Bulletin is archived and previous editions can be viewed on the AusPharm website here.

NPS delivers on its charter : 16/03/2009 :

The positive impact of the National Prescribing Service (NPS) on prescribing practice and medicines use has been reaffirmed in its latest evaluation report, launched online last week.

Last financial year NPS saved the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme over $58 million, well in excess of its contractual requirements. This was achieved through educational outreach visits to doctors, pharmacists and nurses, training programs, resources for consumers, campaigns, and online activities, all of which were supported by its network of member organisations.

You need to log in to read the rest of this article. Click here for details

Poll result: damage to pharmacy image from supplying 'alternative' medicine products : 13/03/2009 :

The respondents to this week's poll (n=152) take the view that the selling of 'alternative' medicines and other products of dubious efficacy does indeed damage the image of pharmacy. The majority of those responding think that this damages the pharmacy image 'a lot'  (30%) or 'it'll be the undoing of us' (30%). AusPharm thinks that things might not be quite that bad. (Click the chart to see the results in detail).

Comments to AusPharmList demonstrate that this is a complex question with no easy 'answer' for pharmacies.

We think it likely that the issue isn't in the front of the minds of most consumers, despite the occasional negative publicity. And while other interested parties (eg doctors, government, Boards) may take more notice, for them it is not the main game. We do not think this issue will 'be the undoing of us'.

Guild: “Modern” award threatens jobs in community pharmacy : 13/03/2009 :

The Pharmacy Guild of Australia said yesterday that it supports calls from employers and the trade union movement for the implementation of the Government’s award modernisation process to be deferred to avoid extensive job losses at the worst possible time for the Australian economy.

Trade union officials quoted in The Australian newspaper yesterday acknowledge that the modern awards brought down by the Australian Industrial Relations Commission impose new higher costs on many employers, requiring an extensive transitional period of up to five years. The office of Minister Julia Gillard has confirmed that the creation of modern awards was not intended to disadvantage workers or employers.

You need to log in to read the rest of this article. Click here for details

NPS Medicine Name Finder launched : 13/03/2009 :

The National Prescribing Service (NPS) yesterday launched  an online tool, NPS Medicine Name Finder, which identifies the active ingredient in a prescription medicine and the brand names it is known as.

When a brand name is entered into the NPS Medicine Name Finder, the active ingredient name appears and vice versa when the active ingredient name is entered. Consumers are then prompted to record their medicine details on a downloadable Medicines List or print the information to discuss it with their health professional. A link is also provided to the Consumer Medicine Information (CMI) leaflet which contains more details about the medicine.

The data supporting the online tool is provided by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Division of the Department of Health and Ageing and updated monthly. It does not cover over-the-counter, natural or herbal medicines, nor medicines not listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.

The NPS Medicine Name Finder is available to both consumers and health professionals on the NPS website here.

e-script roll out underway : 13/03/2009 :

Rollout of the first Australia-wide electronic prescription platform began yesterday in pharmacies in Victoria and New South Wales, in readiness for connecting GPs and medical specialists into the platform in April.

eRx Script Exchange will enable GPs and medical specialists to send prescriptions electronically through a secure, encrypted gateway, for later retrieval from a patient’s pharmacy of choice anywhere in Australia. The first pharmacies are successfully downloading prescription and external repeat data from eRx.

The rollout commenced in pharmacies using Fred Dispense, and will quickly expand to other pharmacy and prescribing vendors starting with medical prescribing software provider Best Practice.

You need to log in to read the rest of this article. Click here for details

Raptiva withdrawn : 13/03/2009 :

Merck Serono Australia Pty Ltd yesterday announced it is withdrawing Raptiva (efalizumab (rch)) from the Australian marketplace following a recommendation from the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) to cancel the registration for Raptiva.

The decision was made as a result of safety concerns including the occurrence of Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy (PML) in patients taking this medication.

You need to log in to read the rest of this article. Click here for details

Guild: media reports of pharmacy good times incorrect : 12/03/2009 :

Media reports yesterday (eg here) cite results of research showing that sales through pharmacies grew at the rate of 18 per cent in 2008. According to the Pharmacy Guild, the 18 per cent figure is incorrect and has resulted from major changes in sampling by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) that have made the underlying data unreliable. 

The Guild says that budget cutbacks at the ABS in 2008 meant that the overall monthly sample size for all businesses (including pharmacies) in the Retail Business Survey (excluding supermarkets and large department stores, for which complete data is captured) was dramatically reduced from 3214 each month to just 901.

You need to log in to read the rest of this article. Click here for details

NAPSA Charity Cup 2009 : 12/03/2009 :

The National Australian Pharmacy Students’ Association has announced that the inaugural NAPSA Charity Cup will be supporting The Fred Hollows Foundation’s Indigenous Programs.

Each of the 14 NAPSA Branches are encouraged to hold an event or events in the month of April to raise funds and awareness for the chosen national charity. Students are encouraged to be creative in their fundraising endeavours.

You need to log in to read the rest of this article. Click here for details

Click here to go to the old "Industry News" page (pre 01/09/2006).