Community pharmacists expected to be ‘bankers’

Community pharmacists expected to be ‘bankers’ in latest medicine recall

The Pharmacy Guild of New Zealand (the Guild) has been informed that community pharmacists are to be responsible for the sixth medicine recall for 2010 - as well as providing their services as bankers for a pharmaceutical company.

Australian pharmaceutical company Abbott has voluntarily withdrawn sibutramine (Reductil) from the market. This is due to the Medicines Adverse Reactions Committee (MARC) deciding that the risks outweigh the benefits of using the prescription medicine. Sibutramine has also been withdrawn from sale in Australia, Canada, Europe and the United States.

“The process is a mess, made worse because this is not a subsidised medicine,” says Annabel Young, CE of the Guild. Many patients found out about the recall from the media this morning. Notification was not sent to pharmacists until this afternoon. The fax sent to pharmacies regarding the recall process is unclear. All calls to Abbott from the Guild team regarding this recall have not been answered.

“Abbott has not been upfront about the work involved in dealing with this recall,” says Annabel. “They have also asked pharmacists to act as their bankers by providing a refund to their patients for sibutramine – whether they supplied the original medicine or not.

“Although other recalls have required pharmacists to supply their time and expertise for free, this is the first time a pharmaceutical company has asked pharmacists to supply cash as part of the procedure. Why is Abbott asking pharmacy to act as their bankers? How are they able to do this when they have no knowledge of the original price at which the medicine was sold to the patient?

“It is clear that Abbott can’t be bothered to do the work themselves and are expecting pharmacists to manage the process with no guidelines and for no recompense. This recall has again highlighted the urgent need for a clear medicine recall process to be developed,” says Annabel.

This is the sixth medicine recall community pharmacists have been involved with this year, including 27 May’s patient level recall by Mylan NZ of all strengths of Pacific Atenolol tablets.

The Guild has a key role in the current Ministerial review of the medicines recall process and continues to argue that pharmacists must be recompensed for the work involved in such recalls.

It is estimated that there are between 4,000-5,000 patients in New Zealand taking this medicine.

ENDS

Media Contact: Annabel Young - 027 440 9160 or 04 802 8201
Ian Johnson – 021 621 592
For additional information: Julia Paterson-Fourie – 04 802 8211

Notes:
• Medicine recalls are at present the subject of litigation involving community pharmacist Ian Johnson. Ian is the owner of Johnson’s Pharmacy in Otara and has served a notice of claim to GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) in response to GSK’s consumer level medicine recall of Marevan (warfarin) 3mg tablets on 28 January 2010.
• Ian is filing this notice as a test case, as GSK has refused to pay his invoice of $395.10 (including GST) for time spent managing the recall.
• The Pharmacy Guild of New Zealand (Inc) is a national membership organisation representing community pharmacy owners. We provide leadership on all issues affecting the sector and we advocate for the business interests of community pharmacy.
• For additional information on the Guild and community pharmacy please go to www.pgnz.org.nz

ENDS

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