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Review
. 2020 Feb;43(1):24-26.
doi: 10.18773/austprescr.2020.007. Epub 2020 Feb 3.

National Medicines Policy 2.0: a vision for the future

Andrew J McLachlan  1 , Parisa Aslani  1
Affiliations
Review

National Medicines Policy 2.0: a vision for the future

Andrew J McLachlan et al. Aust Prescr. 2020 Feb.

Abstract

Australia’s National Medicines Policy was launched 20 years ago with the aim of improving health outcomes for all Australians. It was developed in partnership with healthcare professionals, consumers and the pharmaceutical industry The key parts of the Policy focus on timely access to high-quality and affordable medicines and their safe and judicious use. It also supports a viable and responsible pharmaceutical industry Since the Policy was first launched, Australia has seen significant changes in healthcare systems, medicines subsidies, health services remuneration, digital technologies and the pharmaceutical industry Medicines themselves have also changed, as have consumers’ expectations. To respond to these changes, the National Medicines Policy needs to be updated with a greater focus on implementing and measuring outcomes

Keywords: National Medicines Policy; drug regulation; polypharmacy.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest: none declared

References

    1. Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing. National Medicines Policy 2000. Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia; 1999. https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/national... [cited 2019 Dec 24]
    1. McLachlan A. Cost shifting and the quality use of medicines: is it time for National Medicines Policy 2.0? Aust Prescr 2014;37:110-1. 10.18773/austprescr.2014.045 - DOI
    1. Shaw B, Chisholm O. Australia’s National Medicines Policy is outdated and in need of review. Med J Aust 2019;211:252-254.e1. 10.5694/mja2.50268 - DOI - PubMed
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    1. Consumers Health Forum of Australia. Changing course: putting consumers at the centre of health care. Platform for the 2016 federal election. Canberra: CHF; 2015. https://chf.org.au/sites/default/files/chf_election_platform_final_07062... [PDF][cited 2019 Dec 24]

FURTHER READING

    1. Council of Australian Therapeutic Advisory Groups. Rethinking medicines decision-making in Australian hospitals. Guiding principles for the quality use of off-label medicines. Sydney: Council of Australian Therapeutic Advisory Groups; 2013. http://www.catag.org.au/rethinking-medicines-decision-making [cited 2019 Dec 24]
    1. World Health Organization. The third WHO Global Patient Safety Challenge: Medication without harm. Geneva: WHO; 2017. https://www.who.int/patientsafety/medication-safety/en [cited 2019 Dec 24] Co-dependent and hybrid technologies. Health Technology Assessment. Canberra: Australian Government Department of Health; 2017. https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/hta/publishing.nsf/Content/co-1
    1. Morris S. Medicine shortages in Australia - what are we doing about them? Aust Prescr 2018;41:136-7. 10.18773/austprescr.2018.047 - DOI - PMC - PubMed

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