Australian pharmacy perspectives on increasing access to medicines through reclassification

Area of Science:

• Pharmaceutical Policy
• Health Services Research
• Pharmacy Practice

Background:

• Increased availability of medicines without prescription (non-prescription) can improve consumer access to timely treatment and self-management of minor ailments.
• Globally, medicine reclassification has enhanced access, but Australia lags behind comparable health systems, with influencing factors poorly understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore Australian pharmacists' and support staff perspectives on future medicine reclassification from prescription to non-prescription.
• To identify potential candidates for reclassification and understand the drivers and barriers influencing this process.

Main Methods:

• Semi-structured interviews were conducted with Australian pharmacists and support staff in May 2015.
• Interview data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed thematically using a general inductive approach.

Main Results:

• Participants identified medicines suitable for reclassification based on risk-benefit assessments, excluding those with misuse potential or hazardous properties.
• Key drivers for reclassification included supporting consumer self-management of minor ailments and improving adherence to long-term medications.
• Barriers were identified as both internal (pharmacist readiness) and external (hindering overall progress).

Conclusions:

• The study offers valuable insights into future medicine reclassification discussions in Australia.
• A larger, more representative sample is recommended to validate the findings and inform policy.