E-drug: Re: Quality use of Medicines in Australia
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Dear Colleagues,
The updated Australian policy documents on Quality Use of Medicines
endorse the WHO concept of equitable access to necessary medicines.
Yet the recent 2002-2003 Federal Budget increased Pharmaceutical Benefit
Scheme (PBS) co-payments and safety-nets limits by 27% respectively.
This is expected to transfer A$1.9 billion of PBS costs from the
government to consumers over the next 4 years.
The government is concerned about the rapid growth of PBS costs (an
average of around 14% per annum over the last 10 years).
Others are concerned that a A$1.9 billion transfer of the cost of
medicines from government to consumers will do little to address the
drivers of PBS growth. In addition, the measure is regressive, placing
the burden of increased drug costs on those who need them rather than
the entire community. Furthermore, it is likely to result in higher
health costs elsewhere if people with limited financial resources forgo
necessary medicines to the detriment of their health.
The government's action has produced a rare coalition; the Australian
Medical Association, The Doctors Reform Society, The Pharmacy Guild,
consumer groups and the pharmaceutical industry are supporting moves by
opposition parties (Democrats, Greens & Labor) to block these Budget
measures in the Senate.
A more detailed critique of the PBS Budget measures (and alternative
policy suggestions) can be found at:
http://www.econ.usyd.edu.au/drawingboard/digest/0206/harvey.html
Cheers
Ken
Dr. Ken Harvey, Project Manager - Electronic Prescribing - Decision
Support
Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute (www.petermac.org)
Board Member, Therapeutic Guidelines Ltd. (http://www.tg.com.au)
Council Member, Australian Consumers Association
(http://www.choice.com.au)
Senior Lecturer, School of Public Health (http://www.latrobe.edu.au)
La Trobe University, Bundoora, 3086, Australia
Telephone +61 3 9479 1750, Facsimile +61 3 9479 1783, Mobile 0419 181910
k.harvey@latrobe.edu.au
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