Medicines must be cheaper and easier to access, so doctors have more time for their patients, the peak body for GPs says.
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners on March 27  issued its call to the federal government, saying the May budget was an opportunity to act on much-needed reforms.
Those changes included extending the length of prescriptions and allowing a larger supply of medicines to be prescribed in one go.
A two-month supply would halve dispensing fees, which already cost taxpayers $1.67 billion (US$1.11 billion) in 2021-22, college president Nicole Higgins said.
“Over 140 medicines could have an increased supply interval of two months, according to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee, many for chronic conditions,” Dr. Higgins said….