Is Coalition’s effort to block 60-day dispensing policy really over?

Pharma News: In a dramatic turn of events, Bridget McKenzie, Nationals leader in the Senate, has unveiled the opposition’s relentless pursuit to challenge the government’s 60-day dispensing policy upon the return of Parliament in September.

Yesterday, the Senate bore witness to an intense confrontation as the Coalition’s attempt to obstruct Labor’s new policy was opposed. Senator McKenzie, undeterred, announced that the opposition is already taking proactive steps to disallow the policy once more.

“We have lodged this afternoon another disallowance for this mechanism. This highlights for the government that we are very very serious, it is not good enough to say is not going to have a negative impact and that the people’s healthcare delivery and particularly in the regions won’t be impacted when it actually will,” asserted Senator McKenzie.

The Coalition had attempted a strategic manoeuvre by delaying their disallowance motion until September 4th, providing a window for the government to reconsider its policy. However, Health Minister Mark Butler declined this offer.

In a Senate vote, Labor, the Greens, and Senators David Pocock, Lidia Thorpe, and Jacqui Lambie joined forces to reject the delay of implementing the 60-day dispensing policy. The outcome was a decisive 31 votes against 26.

The disallowance motion was championed by the Shadow Health Minister, Anne Ruston, and Senator McKenzie, supported by One Nation senators Pauline Hanson and Malcolm Roberts, as well as former Liberal David Van.

The pivotal 60-day dispensing policy has garnered support from medical associations such as the Australian Medical Association (AMA) and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP). Patient groups, including the Consumer Health Forum (CHF), have also rallied behind the changes.

“We thank not only the government, but all the senators who stared down the negative scare campaign against this policy,” said Professor Steve Robson, President of AMA.

Applauding Health Minister Mark Butler for his approach, CHF CEO Dr Elizabeth Deveny highlighted the benefits of the policy, stating, “This measure will not only be good for consumers’ hip pockets but also for their health. Most consumers could see through the Pharmacy Guild’s scare campaign but we condemn their tactics which were aimed at some of the most vulnerable members of the community. This is not what good patient care looks like.”

With the changes now scheduled to take effect from September 1st, the government is consulting legal experts regarding the validity of 60-day dispensing if the impending September disallowance is successful. As the political battleground heats up, all eyes remain fixed on the impending clash.

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