The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 272 No 7298 p560
8 May 2004

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Australian pharmacies to remain independent

Australian pharmacists appear to have made headway in their fight to keep community pharmacies out of the hands of corporate business.

Australian prime minister John Howard has asked the New South Wales state government to drop planned legislation to deregulate pharmacy ownership, which is currently restricted to pharmacists. Further, no pharmacist is allowed to own more than three pharmacies.

The New South Wales government introduced the draft legislation in the face of pressure from the Australian Woolworths supermarket chain and the National Competition Council, which threatened to fine or withhold funds from the state if pharmacy was not deregulated.

The Australian health minister, Tony Abbott, recently said: “The federal government is committed to community pharmacy and is not about to sit idly by and see it destroyed.”