THE federal government’s intention to introduce 60-day dispensing in next month’s budget will significantly worsen the medicines shortage crisis, according to the Pharmacy Guild.

The proposal (which doubles the number of medicines patients can receive at once, regardless of need) will lead to millions of patients being worse off.

The guild says already stretched supply chains of crucial and everyday prescription medicine will be made much worse. Shortages already exist for medications to treat a range of conditions, including blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol, depression, anxiety, osteoporosis, Parkinson’s Disease.

The guild says that by providing some patients with twice as much medication as they need, many more Australians will be forced to go without. The policy will also lead to panic buying, hoarding of medicines and increased overdoses.

National president Prof Trent Twomey said: “We have very real concerns around the impact of this policy on patient safety.

“If the federal government puts this proposal in the budget, I am very concerned for millions of Australian patients who need regular access to critical medicine.

“There are already some 400 medicines in short supply in Australia and around 70 more at risk of becoming short.

“Australians may not be able to access medicines equally, with one patient having double the amount and another missing out.

“Local Labor MPs will need to explain to their communities why their community pharmacist cannot supply critical medicine to patients when they need it.”

The Pharmacy Guild is calling on the Albanese government to further reduce the general PBS patient co-payment to $19, supporting 19 million Australians in the cost-of-living crisis.

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