Doctors Push Back on Pharmacist Prescribing Plan, Citing Patient Risks

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) opposes a plan for pharmacists to prescribe a wide range of medicines, including controlled drugs. The RACGP argues pharmacists lack the diagnostic knowledge and skills for safe prescribing and ongoing chronic disease management. The core concern is the lack of safeguards to manage diagnostic uncertainty and care coordination.

• The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) opposes a plan allowing pharmacists to prescribe a wide range of medicines.
• The plan includes strictly controlled Schedule 8 drugs like opioids, stimulants, and tranquillisers.
• The RACGP cites cases where patients’ conditions worsened due to inadequate diagnosis and care.
• Concerns include pharmacists’ diagnostic uncertainty, lack of coordination between prescribers, and insufficient knowledge for safe prescribing and chronic disease management.
• The RACGP questions the adequacy of safeguards in the Pharmacy Board’s proposal.