Friday, September 10, 2010
Unhealthy monopolies: pharmacies
Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) seems to lost its way in benefiting the public on the access to pharmaceuticals. Albeit 28% of the total cost of taxpayers was channeled to pharmacies, there are still Australians with no access to a pharmacist. This happens particularly in rural areas which is less profitable in the context of pharmacists as a businessman. It shows a big disparity in which people in urban areas have numerous pharmacy outlets to choose from. For remote Aboriginal people, drugs are supplied in bulk to the local health service by a pharmacy anywhere in Australia. Therefore, another Community Pharmacy Agreement in the next four years should change the pattern of the retail pharmacies so that all Australians are able to benefit from the pharmacy services, not just the profit of the pharmacy owners at the sake of the taxpayers.
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I agree that pharmacies can monopoly the market with the patents owned for a period of time. This has discriminated the welfare of the residents living in rural areas due to its lower profitability. Those low incomers in rural areas, particularly aborigines are not able to access the services. They can only depend on the provision from local health service of government. So, I personally feel that government should intervene this market to ensure the welfare of every single individual. This is because it affects the health of residents, affects the productivity and economic growth indirectly. Government may think to let pharmacy industry to be free for everyone or subsidized those pharmacies in rural areas. More incentives should be given to attract the set up of pharmacies in whole Australia.
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