As the cost of living bites, women are struggling to afford medicines for themselves and their families. Nearly a third of women between 35-54 years old without a concession card say they have found it difficult to pay for prescribed medicines in the past three years.
New research conducted by independent research firm Insightfully on behalf of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia has found that 31 per cent of middle-income households ($60,000 to $100,000) have found it difficult to afford medications on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).
In the marginal electorates surveyed, 13 per cent have gone without prescribed medicines because they couldn’t afford them, with the voters of Flynn and Dobell most affected.
The research took place during January, after the PBS co-payment for medicines automatically rose again on 1 January 2022, putting the patient contribution on track to hit almost $50 by the end of the decade.
The co-payment for general patients has doubled since 2000 and according to ABS figures, more than 900,000 Australians delayed or didn’t get a script filled in 2019-20 due to cost.
Crunch is here
The National President of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, Professor Trent Twomey, said many Australians are finding it harder to afford essential medicines.
‘What that means is that people are increasingly finding themselves having to choose between buying the medicines they need and other non-discretionary purchases like rent, groceries and petrol,’ he said.
‘This is disproportionately affecting women. They know exactly what a loaf of bread, a litre of milk and a rapid antigen test costs. And they know that it all adds up fast.
‘I see mothers in my pharmacy forced to choose which child gets the medicines prescribed by the doctor or not filling their own scripts because there’s nothing left in the budget,’ he said.
Australia’s ‘forgotten women’
‘As community pharmacists, we are raising the alarm,’ said Professor Twomey. ‘When medicines become unaffordable, it means that there is no real universal access to the PBS which is the foundation of our health system.’
PBS medicines which are becoming unaffordable are being used for conditions such as:
- diabetes e.g. insulins, glucagon, Trulicity®, Byetta®, Januvia®, Trajenta®
- asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) e.g. Symbicort®, Seretide®, Breo Ellipta®, Spiolto®
- stroke/thrombosis prevention e.g. Xarelto®, Eliquis®, Pradaxa®, Clexane®heart failure e.g. nebivolol, Coralan®, Entresto®
- inflammatory bowel diseases such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s Disease e.g. Pentasa®, Salofalk®, Salazopyrin®
- smoking cessation e.g. nicotine replacement therapies, Champix®
- ADHD e.g. Ritalin® LA, Concerta®, Vyvanse®
- severe cystic acne e.g. Roacutane®
- schizophrenia e.g. clozapine
- long-acting contraception e.g. Implanon®, Mirena®, Kyleena®
- Parkinson’s Disease e.g. Sinemet® CR, Neupro®, Cabaser®
- Rheumatoid Arthritis e.g. Humira®, Enbrel®
- epilepsy e.g. Zarontin®, Trileptal®, Vimpat®, Briviact®
- anaphylaxis e.g. Epipen®, Anapen®
