The You Deserve More campaign from the Australian Medical Association has an alarming message: allowing pharmacists to prescribe a wider range of medicines is a threat to patient safety and undermines the health system.
Queensland now allows pharmacists to prescribe medicines for uncomplicated urinary tract infections after a successful pilot. Other states including New South Wales and Victoria are developing their own pilots so pharmacists can administer medicines such as health and travel vaccinations and prescribe drugs for UTIs, skin ailments, ear infections and birth control.
