Community Pharmacists "Deeply Concerned" as National Refuses to Rule Out Increasing Big Business Control of Pharmacies

Two community pharmacist groups are expressing concern that the National Party may seek to open up pharmacy ownership to big business if in government after 14 October, following conversations with political parties.

The Independent Community Pharmacy Group and the Prescription Access Initiative have released an election scorecard with the leading parties' positions on keeping free prescriptions and maintaining existing rules requiring pharmacists to control pharmacies.

National's response on pharmacy ownership is "unclear", after National health spokesperson Shane Reti dodged a question from the groups about whether National would retain or strengthen existing pharmacy ownership laws. Dr Reti replied to that question only by saying, "The National party supports timely access to quality health care for all New Zealanders".

Independent Community Pharmacy Group and Prescription Access Initiative spokesperson Gemma Perry says: "Community pharmacists are deeply concerned that vital primary healthcare and the wellbeing of patients are jeopardised by what National has said about its health plans, and we are now asking National to rule out opening up pharmacies further to big business control."

The current law requires that pharmacists have effective control over pharmacies. A recent High Court decision found that Countdown Pharmacy's ownership model failed to uphold pharmacist control over pharmacies in line with that law.

Gemma Perry, also pharmacist owner of Sanders Pharmacy in Te Awamutu, adds: "After Cyclone Gabrielle, community pharmacists went above and beyond to support at-risk patients, whereas corporate pharmacists placed their business interests first - and this is an example of how more corporate pharmacists will operate if the law is opened up to make it easier for big business, including supermarkets, to control pharmacies."

The decision by the High Court is currently on appeal to the Court of Appeal.

Perry states, "We are also troubled by the possibility that a new government could cut across a case that is under appeal, and so we encourage all parties to pledge to keep the existing law and to allow the courts to rule on any outstanding matters in the usual way."

The scorecard shows Labour, the Greens, Te Pāti Māori and The Opportunities Party (TOP) pledging to keep free prescriptions, with National and ACT refusing to pledge to keep free prescriptions. Labour, the Greens, and TOP have pledged to keep or strengthen existing pharmacy ownership rules, while National's response was "unclear", and no reply to this question was received from Te Pāti Māori, ACT, or New Zealand First.