Page 38 - Retail Pharmacy November/Decemeber 2020

36 ANNUAL REPORT ACCC authorisation was granted to permit the sharing of supply information between Medicines Australia, the Generic and Biosimilar Medicines Association and the federal government. The International Freight Assistance Mechanism was also fully maximised to facilitate the shipment of medicines back to our shores. Working closely with distributors and pharmacy, we maintained close control of supplies while being agile and responsive to meet shifting requirements. Increasing distribution frequency was essential to support the monthly dispensing requirements and contain the potential for panic. For pharmacists and general practitioners, we applied every resource and measure available to us to ensure medicine needs could be met. We must acknowledge the extraordinary efforts in pharmacy of managing such a Under pressure, best practice prevails Consumer Healthcare Products (CHP) Australia Covid-19 has placed unprecedented pressure on our industry to meet the evolving needs of consumers, government procurement and the healthcare system in this time of crisis, and created many new challenges, some of which will undoubtedly remain for some time. To help the industry navigate this tumultuous period, we’ve expanded our advocacy and engagement work with government, and continue to provide additional support and services to members, including: challenging and evolving situation with patience and commitment, continuing to go the extra mile as many had needed to do in the bushfires. Our local clinical trial programs were also a substantial part of our Covid-19 response. Thanks to the incredible work of the research teams and participants, clinical trials continued – and with a significant positive outcome: tele-trials are high priority in this country now, with access and reach stretching far beyond standard metropolitan areas. We’re also very proud of the significant work instigated with the Continuity of Care Collaboration, which now includes more than 40 groups. Regular information forums and workshop sessions kept us focused on the patient’s challenge and needs. The healthcare hangover from delayed health diagnoses, reassessments Preventable conditions and modifiable risk factors – smoking, obesity, diabetes – can have a significant and detrimental impact on an individual’s own susceptibility to infection, the infection’s severity, and recovery outcomes. Now is the time for a systematic approach to build self-care capability and enhance self-care activity in all aspects of health and healthcare. In October, we joined more than 50 health experts and stakeholders in endorsing the Mitchell Institute’s ‘Self-care for health: A national policy blueprint’ report. Developed in collaboration with a network of health, self-care and policy experts, the report outlines a suite of evidence-based, feasible policy proposals to support self-care through national health policy and practice. We also continue to advocate for the implementation of a common ailments scheme in community pharmacy, and in our pre-budget submissions recommended to government a nationwide rollout. Beyond the work of addressing the challenges of the pandemic, we continued to deliver our business-as- usual operations, hosting more than 16 webinars and educational seminars, collaborating with regulators and other industry stakeholders, and contributing to 48 government consultations covering a broad range of issues important to the industry. This year also brought the end of and health checks will need a significant focus into 2021 and beyond. We will remain actively involved and committed here. Despite the terrible challenge of this pandemic, with the arrival of the Covid-19 vaccines and treatments as the innovative medicines industry, we feel positive and hopeful. With 2021 around the corner, we hope we can all move forward safely and with new purpose and vigour. We will continue to support the nation’s economic recovery, maintaining delivery of innovative medicines, supporting our frontline healthcare teams, assisting patient communities and building Australia’s scientific prowess on the global stage. On behalf of the innovative medicines industry, I’d like to wish the pharmacy community a very safe and happy festive season. mandatory pre-approvals for therapeutic goods advertising, and the launch of our new expert advertising compliance advisory service, AdCheck. AdCheck offers independent, expert Therapeutic Goods Advertising Code (TGAC) compliance checks and advice on all forms of direct-to-consumer therapeutic goods advertising. Based on requests from industry, we’re looking to expand the AdCheck service to also include the classification of TVCs. Staffed by the same CHP compliance experts that previously provided mandatory pre-approvals, AdCheck is available to help those responsible for consumer therapeutic goods advertising, including retailers, to minimise their risk of noncompliance. Staying in the advertising space, we released a major update to our Digital & Social Media Guidelines, developed in collaboration with marketing experts. The application of the TGAC to online content is complex and often ambiguous, but these guidelines can assist advertisers in navigating the uncertainty. This has been a challenging year, but it has also shown the best of our industry: working together, innovating and investing, and supporting each other and our frontline healthcare workers with a commitment to improving Australians’ health outcomes. That said, our preference is for an ‘uneventful’ 2021. • • Providing regular Covid-19 updates covering relevant news stories, government announcements, and business and health resources. Representing industry on Covid-19 related multi-stakeholder government roundtables, including the TGA medicines shortages working group, and ‘supply chain’ and ‘hand sanitiser’ roundtables coordinated by the federal Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources. The critical importance of engaging Australians in the proactive management of their health has also been further reinforced in the pandemic environment. RETAIL PHARMACY • NOV/DEC 2020