It’s a little hard to believe that the biggest talking point in health early in 2016 is the price rise around Panadol Osteo.
This is happening at a time when the entire health (or illness) system is bursting at the seams, and the role of the pharmacist within this system is under ever-increasing scrutiny,
We’re talking millions and millions of dollars in potential savings, reviewing medical claims and helping the PBS to be more relevant, and it seems to be all about the $1.00 co-payment, and how the world will cope with pain now that Panadol Osteo is “expensive”!

Bear in mind that the latest research shows that high dose paracetamol is no longer first-line option in osteoarthritis anyway.

The back-story of the co-payment issue would make fascinating reading.
Did anybody really believe that the major marketing groups would miss an opportunity to further dumb down the supply process?
After all, the public assumes that the professional process shown by the pharmacist in the dispensing procedure takes zero skills.

Cheaper, faster…..more, more, more!

There are generic options to Panadol Osteo anyway, so what’s the big fuss about?
A political distraction?
A diversion from the real issues we need to sort out?

If ever there was a time, pharmacists of Australia need leadership to enable their skills to be part of the Health Care team.

Do we have it?