FORWARD estimates of PBS growth rates have been dramatically cut in this year's federal budget.
The 2007-08 budget, announced earlier this month, forecast that the PBS would grow at 1.5 per cent per annum. In last year’s budget, the forecast over the forward estimate period was for growth of 5.6 per cent per annum.
The Pharmacy Guild of Australia attributed the dramatic slowing in growth to the introduction of the PBS reform package late last year.
“As custodians of the PBS, pharmacy should be commended for helping to contain the costs of the PBS. This rate of growth means that the industry can now look forward to a period of stability and certainty,” said Guild president, Kos Sclavos.
“PBS reforms and the government’s measures to promote further use of generic medicines will help maintain this slower rate of growth in the PBS and allow the government to put more resources into new medicines and treatments,” he said.
The budget measures include new funding of $17.9 million for software support to help pharmacies sign up to PBS online, and $40 million for e-health programs.
Other measures include a joint program between doctors and pharmacists to help veterans with medicine management and a new Fourth Community Pharmacy Agreement program to improve QUM among indigenous Australians.
Pharmacists will also now dispense medicines prescribed by optometrists and subsidised under the PBS. Until now, optometrists’ prescriptions have not been eligible for PBSsubsidy.