Choice magazine survey reveals pharmacy overcharging for some medicines

While consumers think price is an important factor when buying prescription medicines, most place a higher priority on the quality of the medical treatment and advice they receive, Pharmaceutical Society of Australia National President Brian Grogan has said in response to

a Choice survey that claimed some pharmacists were overcharging for medicines priced below the standard $29.50 PBS co-payment.

“There is not enough detail in the survey results released by Choice to establish whether the magazine’s claims of illegal pricing practices are true, however the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia would be concerned if any instances of illegal behaviour by pharmacists were proved,” Mr Grogan said.

He said Choice’s single-minded focus on price alone overlooked the tangible benefits provided by community pharmacies.

“Many of Choice’s suggestions on ways to save money are sensible, but the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia is concerned that customers are being advised to shop online,” he said.

“Some medicines may be more cheaply provided through mail order/internet outlets than through a community pharmacy, but in some cases this comes at a hidden cost – the lack of thorough professional oversight by a pharmacist.

“Australian pharmacists save lives each year, and prevent thousands of patients from suffering harm, through face-to-face counselling as part of the dispensing process.

“Each time a medicine is dispensed, the pharmacist checks the patient’s history and looks for any potentially adverse interactions with other medicines – both prescription and non-prescription – or existing health conditions.

“People who might think price alone is the most important determining factor in buying medicines may not realise the hidden benefits that may be stripped away in mail-order or internet pharmacies.

“Ultimately, it seems that the Choice survey simply confirmed that there is price competition for medicines below the $29.50 threshold. The principles of competition are supported by all governments in Australia, and even Choice itself.

“And despite Choice’s slant on its survey, its own figures show those pharmacies charging what it terms the ‘permitted’ price or less make up the vast majority.

“In our experience consumers are far more likely to find that pharmacies are discounting medicines in the under-$29.50 category,” he said.