EDITORIAL

Welcome to i2P E-Magazine for September.

This month our authors have again come up with a very diverse range of topics, which illustrates that pharmacy is a very busy profession.

Firstly, our survey question asks whether you support the concept of pharmacist prescribers.
This question was derived from Peter Sayers' article on the the potential for a national Pharmacy Act.
His article hints that at least one state is considering legislating for pharmacists to have this option.
Some pharmacists in the past have strongly opposed this concept, stating that "pharmacists dispense, doctors prescribe".
Well, it should be obvious that this is not the case in our rapidly changing landscape.
Pharmacists have always prescribed (but often so quietly, you may not have noticed), and other professions also prescribe.
Nurses, dentists and even naturopaths, prescribe currently in Australia..

So maybe in this day and age, pharmacists can "dispense and prescribe while doctors diagnose and prescribe".
It seems that UK pharmacists have been able to achieve this status without a resultant conflict of interest.

The BMMS project in Australia is mentioned in this edition, and compared with some pilot projects in the UK. The planning that has gone into the Australian version could see an efficient national model functioning within the next two or three years.
What is certain is that pharmacists are about to lose their IT "virginity" whether they like it or not.
Perhaps it may prove to be a good thing, but some of our writers have queried the enormous cost against the perceived gains.
No one can argue against the principles involved, but if positive benfits do not emerge at the other end, then BMMS will only add to the total cost of our National Health Scheme.

Other topics for this month include drug abuse, private health fund payments to pharmacists, continuing education, locums as a resource, paracetamol poisoning, social responsibility, GP/Pharmacist culture interface and a student's view of pharmacy overseas.
Enjoy your read.

Neil Johnston
September 2002