Expanded contraceptive prescribing rights for pharmacists down south has stirred up quite the commotion.
Disappointment is growing amongst the Victorian branches of health bodies, after the state government overrides warnings on pharmacist prescribing of oral contraceptives.
RACGP Victoria chair Dr Anita Munoz said the move to allow pharmacists to initiate prescriptions of the oral contraceptive pill sets a concerning precedent for the future of health reforms.
“I find it actually very concerning that the premier is going out into the community and signalling that anything that she can do that can help a Victorian avoid seeing their GP is an inherently good thing,” Dr Munoz told The Medical Republic.
“For a politician to go into the community and say anything that helps you avoid having to see your GP is something to be endorsed by a political party, I think is very, very poor public health policy.
“It makes me very concerned about the direction that we’re going in terms of managing the health of Victorians.”
The Allan Labor government also released a statement on the changes, arguing that the initiative gives women more options to access contraceptive care with rural and remote areas promoted as a key area for benefit.
From July, Victorians over the age of 18 will be able to access the oral contraceptive pill at one of 850 participating pharmacies as part of the Chemist Care Now initiative, without a script or input from a doctor.
“Supporting women to access the pill directly at their local chemist is a practical change that makes life easier and brings care closer to home,” parliamentary secretary for women’s health Kat Theophanous said.
The RACGP has cited prior TGA warnings on pharmacists being able to prescribe contraceptive pills with the decision made in 2021 arguing against the initiative.
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The RACGP has also argued that the initiative is prioritising convenience over efficiency and prioritising industry lobbying over evidence based public health.
“When it comes to medicine and health, the stakes are very high” Dr Munoz told TMR.
“During the pandemic, when premiers and politicians made decisions that overrode health advice, we actually saw people being harmed, and we saw people lose their lives over poor decision making.
“We really should have learned our lesson then.
“We’re seeing now, an emboldening of political decision making that says to use legislation to override the principles of good governance, because it’s politically attractive.
“We’re seeing increasingly that the politics of today is that easy access and convenience is a much greater good than safe execution of medical practice, and that I am expecting will cause harm.”
This announcement has also come after the announcement of greater federal investment into women’s health, with the funding allocations aligning with the RACGP’s ideal for an effective healthcare model.
The RACGP has also reiterated its support for pharmacists as part of collaborative care, clarifying that it sees the initiative as an issue for Victorian healthcare as a whole.
