Country Correspondent: Aisha Gomez
The Turnbull government has pledged AUD 20 million to expand the role of community pharmacies to help Australians manage their chronic pain. The Pharmacy Guild of Australia has partnered with the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia to run the Pain MedsCheck trial, where pharmacists will provide in-person consultations to patients to evaluate medications, help create pain management action plans, engage patients in self-management, and provide referrals to further experts where needed. The trial is part of the government’s larger approach to curb the increasing rates of opioid dependence. Starting February 1, 2018, codeine, an opioid analgesic commonly used in over-the-counter pain medications, will change to a prescription-only medicine. It is estimated that one in five Australians currently suffers from chronic pain.
