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Wednesday 29 Mar 2017
Today’s issue of PD
Pharmacy Daily today has two pages of news, our regular health & beauty feature plus a full page from Sensipure.
Natural disaster provisions
The Federal Parliament has passed new legislation which aims to improve arrangements for PBS pharmacies affected by disaster. The “section 91A” changes, MA in discussions foreshadowed last year (PD 25 over new agreement Nov 2016), will allow pharmacies impacted by disaster to apply for Medicines Australia is permission to supply PBS medicines understood to be in advanced at alternative premises in the same discussions with the government, BOOKKEEPING, PAYROLL, locality for a temporary period with the aim of securing a multiuntil either supply resumes at the DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT year ONLINE agreement in return for a original pharmacy, or a new PBS range of PBS savings. approval is obtained for a Only a pharmacist can truly number understand The move was revealed this different site. morning in the PharmaDispatch your business During this time PBS claims will be newsletter, with the talks coming in paid at the full rate, not 90%, while theClick lead-uphere to the federal budget info or call 1800 961 962 for more an approved pharmacy is operating which is released in early May. at alternative premises following a In 2015 the peak pharmaceutical disaster. manufacturers’ body came close The Health Department said the to finalising a five-year strategic amendments would make it explicit agreement with the government, to that the new provision applied only provide certainty for the industry. for disaster situations, and only However talks broke down and when the PBS-approved pharmacy a deal was never finalised after could not operate due to a disaster. what former MA ceo Tim James The changes also make it clear described as “disappointing and that one approval can only be used difficult” negotiations. to supply PBS medicines at one pharmacy premises at a time - the Hep C patent battle approved pharmacy premises, medicines Sans Frontieres (MSF) has joined with a range Zejula maintenance of other organisations in filing a The US Food and Drug patent challenge with the European Administration has announced the Patent Office in relation to the approval of Zejula (niraparib) for hepatitis C sofosbuvir. maintenance treatment, intended The groups aim to challenge to delay cancer growth, for adult Gilead’s monopoly on the expensive patients with recurrent epithelial therapy, in a bid to “remove ovarian, fallopian tube or primary barriers that prevent millions of peritoneal cancer. people receiving treatment”. MSF said the price of sofosbuvir is keeping it out of reach for many Sensipure offer people who need it, with treatment Healthone is offering up to 30% being rationed or unavailable right off its Sensipure skin therapy range, across the globe. with co-op marketing opportunities “A drug that cures doesn’t do also available. any good if the people who need it The deal is on offer until 30 Apr can’t afford it,” MSF said. see page four for details.
or the alternative premises if permission has been granted. The bill was passed by the Senate on Mon and gained Royal Assent by the Governor General yesterday - meaning all measures in the bill commence effective immediately. That’s good news for pharmacies in far north Queensland where cyclone Debbie has been wreaking havoc for the last couple of days. Any pharmacies needing to apply for permission to supply PBS medicines at alternative premises can contact the department on 02 6289 2425 or via email on acpamail@health.gov.au.
Biologics review The Health Department has announced the addition of secukinumab and ixekizumab into its post-market review of the use of biologics in the treatment of severe chronic plaque psoriasis. Sponsors of the medicines recently added to the group will be invited to provide a submission to the review, while stakeholders who have previously provided input to the now closed consultation will also be invited to update their submissions if required - pbs.gov.au.
The original probiotic PLUS
Philips Australian Pharmacy Sleep deal Dutch technology giant Philips has confirmed an agreement to acquire Sydney-based Australian Pharmacy Sleep Services, with the aim of accelerating its home sleep testing offering through the pharmacy channel in Australia. Australian Pharmacy Sleep Services (APSS) was established in 2011 and offers a sleep apneoa program to pharmacies including screening, home-based sleep studies based on Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) therapy, training and services. APSS supplies all initial training and ongoing support, including trials and sales of CPAP machines. Financial details weren’t revealed, with the deal expected to settle in the second quarter of 2017. “The retail pharmacy market provides a convenient and central local access point to offer simple and effective sleep screening,” said Kevin Barrow, md of Philips Australia and New Zealand. “With the addition of APSS to our sleep and respiratory care business in Australia, Philips will be able to provide better access to home sleep testing for those who need it, where and when they need it”.
No.1
Always read the label. Use only as directed.
Pharmacy Daily Wednesday 29th March 2017
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