Fed: Government plans for pharmacy group restructure attacked

AAP General News (Australia)
12-01-2000
Fed: Government plans for pharmacy group restructure attacked

A health policy expert says government plans to restructure the Pharmaceutical Benefits
Advisory Committee could leave consumers paying more for inferior drugs.

The 12 members of the committee said yesterday they'd considered resigning over the
plans, because the government had caved in to pressure from multinational drug companies.

STEPHEN DUCKETT, former health department head and Professor of Health Policy at La
Trobe University, says the committee's decisions have obviously antagonised the drug companies.

And he's told ABC radio the government plans are short-sighted, because great areas
of expertise would be lost with short terms of appointment.

Labor health spokeswoman JENNY MACKLIN says the Opposition won't agree to a complete
purge of the advisory committee.

She says it looks as if the government wants to get rid of the whole committee at once
-- which is making everyone suspicious.

But government Senator GRANT TAMBLING denies the government is acting at the instigation
of the industry.

AAP RTV mb/rt/nf

KEYWORD: DRUGS (CANBERRA)

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