of all Community Service Obligation distributors and the broader pharmacy supply SUPPORTING ACCESS TO HIGH-COST RECOMMENDATION 7-3: SUPPORTING ACCESS TO HIGH-COST THROUGH COMMUNITY MEDICINES PHARMACY The Australian Government should investigate alternative payment The supply of complex and high-cost arrangements for the supply of high-cost PBS medicines from medicines does not sit well within community pharmacy to support their continued availability within existing supply chain and pharmacy the community. A cap should be placed on the amount that a remuneration arrangements. community pharmacy contributes to the cost of any PBS medicine, in Supplying these medicines is of the range of $700 to $1000, to allow consumers to access high cost significant concern for a number of PBS medicines from the pharmacy of their choice. pharmacies in supporting access to medicines within the community. SUPPORTING ACCESS TO HIGHLY RECOMMENDATION 7-4: SUPPORTING ACCESS TO HIGHLY SPECIALISED DRUGS THROUGH SPECIALISED DRUGS COMMUNITY PHARMACY The Highly Specialised Drugs Program under section 100 of the The distinction between highly National Health Act 1953 (Cth) should be reformed to remove the specialised and other PBS medicines distinction between section 100 (Community Access) and other causes administrative inefficiencies for medicines listed under section 100 Highly Specialised Drugs community pharmacy and may arrangements. This should include, for example, harmonising access compromise patient access to these and fees regardless of where the medicine is dispensed. medicines within the community. LIMITING THE PBS LISTING OF RECOMMENDATION 7-5: TIGHTENING THE LISTING OF GENERIC GENERIC MEDICINES MEDICINE A more targeted approach to listing When an (or medicine comes off patent then ‘originator’ ‘branded’) PBS medicines can improve supply the Australian Government should hold a tender for the PBS listing of trial efficiency and reduce costs to the generic versions of the medicine. The Australian Government should Australian community. limit the number of generic versions of a particular medicine to be listed to a relatively small number that is still sufficient to allow for patient choice (e.g. generics and the original brand of the medicine). The chosen generics should be those best able to meet the distribution and other conditions, including the security of supply, required by the Australian Government at the least cost to the PBS. 8: COMMUNITY PHARMACY Finding Recommendation
of all Community Service Obligation distributors and the broader pharmacy supply SUPPORTING ACCESS TO HIGH-COST THROUGH COMMUNITY PHARMACY The supply of complex and high-cost medicines does not sit well within existing supply chain and pharmacy remuneration arrangements. Supplying these medicines is of significant concern for a number of pharmacies in supporting access to medicines within the community. RECOMMENDATION 7-3: SUPPORTING ACCESS TO HIGH-COST MEDICINES The Australian Government should investigate alternative payment arrangements for the supply of high-cost PBS medicines from community pharmacy to support their continued availability within the community. A cap should be placed on the amount that a community pharmacy contributes to the cost of any PBS medicine, in the range of $700 to $1000, to allow consumers to access high cost PBS medicines from the pharmacy of their choice. SUPPORTING ACCESS TO HIGHLY SPECIALISED DRUGS THROUGH COMMUNITY PHARMACY The distinction between highly specialised and other PBS medicines causes administrative inefficiencies for community pharmacy and may compromise patient access to these medicines within the community. RECOMMENDATION 7-4: SUPPORTING ACCESS TO HIGHLY SPECIALISED DRUGS The Highly Specialised Drugs Program under section 100 of the National Health Act 1953 (Cth) should be reformed to remove the distinction between section 100 (Community Access) and other medicines listed under section 100 Highly Specialised Drugs arrangements. This should include, for example, harmonising access and fees regardless of where the medicine is dispensed. LIMITING THE PBS LISTING OF GENERIC MEDICINES A more targeted approach to listing PBS medicines can improve supply efficiency and reduce costs to the Australian community. RECOMMENDATION 7-5: TIGHTENING THE LISTING OF GENERIC MEDICINE When an ‘originator’ (or ‘branded’) medicine comes off patent then the Australian Government should hold a tender for the PBS listing of generic versions of the medicine. The Australian Government should limit the number of generic versions of a particular medicine to be listed to a relatively small number that is still sufficient to allow for patient choice (e.g. generics and the original brand of the medicine). The chosen generics should be those best able to meet the distribution and other conditions, including the security of supply, required by the Australian Government at the least cost to the PBS. 8: Finding Recommendation COMMUNITY PHARMACY trial
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