Pharmacist Conflicts of Interest and ‘Up-Selling’ Patients Flagged in Major Federal Government Review

Pharmacists could see their PBS funding cut if they don’t limit the space they devote to retail products, and restrictions put on the types of products they sell under potential reform measures canvassed by a major federal government review.
A pharmacist’s dual role as retailer and healthcare professional had blurred the line between treating people as customers or patients, the Pharmacy Remuneration and Regulation review panel has heard.
It meant community pharmacists face a conflict of interest by offering patients unnecessary over-the-counter and complementary medicines to boost their earnings, according to the review’s discussion paper released this week. Sydney Morning Herald – Read more…