Skip to content
Medical Health Aged Care

“I can now afford to get my kids school shoes”: Why opioid dependence medicine affordability changes are so important

Royal Australian College of GPs 2 mins read

Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) alcohol and other drug spokesperson Dr Hester Wilson has today reaffirmed the College’s strong commitment to opioid dependence medicine affordability changes.

It comes following several GPs and pharmacists speaking out on their concerns. As of Saturday, all opioid dependence treatment medicines such as methadone and buprenorphine are listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), a move backed by the RACGP and other health groups.

Dr Wilson called for calm and urged GPs, practice teams and pharmacists to work together and find solutions.

“I know this change has been rapid. It affects many GPs and pharmacists and for some involves changes to business models and operations,” she said. 

“Prior to the 1 July changes, we had a system run by pharmacists and GPs doing what they could to increase patient access to treatment. This system was developed in the absence of any other viable model. However, we now have a new system that takes the financial burden off patients by adding these medicines to the PBS. It does mean change, and that can prove stressful. We are all still getting our heads around it all and doing our best, and I note that changes such as this can experience teething problems.

“However, let’s not lose sight of the bigger picture. Adding these medicines to the PBS safety net will save lives, so let’s roll up our sleeves, work together, find solutions and get this done.

“If the opioid dependence treatment programs shut down and patients, particularly in rural and regional areas, are turned away, it will prove disastrous. Many of these people are at high risk of relapse and need these medicines to continue their recovery and stay on the right path. Let’s make sure we are there for them. For far too long opioid dependence treatment has been held back by affordability issues caused in large part I think by an outdated system that has not addressed the inequities and stigma often experienced by people with opioid dependence.

“It’s important to keep this in perspective and remember that we all need to strive for solutions. People experiencing opioid dependence on drugs such as heroin or oxycodone were previously paying between $5 to $10 a day and now, they will be paying from just $7.30 or $30 per month. This mainstreams opioid dependence and significantly improves access to lifesaving medications.

“I had a patient say to me recently: ‘This is fantastic. I can now afford to get my kids school shoes’. That made me smile, it was yet another reminder that this change to the PBS safety net will have such a profound impact for so many people. Every life is worth saving, let’s stay the course and work together.”

recent report from the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre found that there were 1,788 drug-induced deaths Australia-wide in 2021, which is the equivalent of five drug-induced deaths every day. Natural and semi-synthetic pharmaceutical opioids including morphine and oxycodone are the primary opioids involved in overdose deaths, followed by heroin.

~ENDS

RACGP spokespeople are available for interview.


About us:

About the RACGP

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) is the peak representative organisation for general practice, the backbone of Australia’s health system. We set the standards for general practice, facilitate lifelong learning for GPs, connect the general practice community, and advocate for better health and wellbeing for all Australians.

Visit www.racgp.org.au. To unsubscribe from RACGP media releases, click here.


Contact details:

John Ronan
Media Adviser

Ally Francis
Media Adviser

Stuart Winthrope
Media Officer

Email: media@racgp.org.au (we will respond promptly)

Follow us on Twitter: @RACGP and Facebook.

More from this category

  • Medical Health Aged Care
  • 07/12/2023
  • 13:30
Royal Australian College of GPs and Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine

Public consultation on Rural Generalist Medicine recognition closes next Tuesday

With less than one week to go until the public consultation closes on recognition of Rural Generalist Medicine (RGM) as a specialist field, Australia’s two GP colleges urge doctors and community members to have their say. The Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) are buoyed by the conversation that has been generated on the recognition of RGM throughout the process. ACRRM President Dr Dan Halliday says it has been wonderful to see the engagement through the recent webinars hosted by the Rural Generalist Taskforce, through College channels and at…

  • Contains:
  • Medical Health Aged Care, Science
  • 07/12/2023
  • 13:26
The Florey

Researchers identify neurons in the brain that control nasofacial muscles during breathing

Whilst most of us consider breathing a relatively simple process, it actually requires complex coordination of many muscles to enable airflow into and out of the lungs and to control airflow to allow us to talk, eat, and drink. Breathing also influences other related brain functions, such as emotional state, sense of smell, blood pressure, and heart rate. Breathing is generated in a brain region called Pre-Bötzinger complex (preBötC), which is composed of many subgroups of neurons that are breathing and non-breathing related. Up to now, due to technical limitations, it was almost impossible to specifically silence a subgroup of…

  • Medical Health Aged Care
  • 07/12/2023
  • 13:19
Royal Australian College of GPs

GPs vital to improving National Disability Insurance Scheme

The Royal Australian College of GPs (RACGP) has welcomed the final National Disability Insurance Scheme report and reiterated calls for GPs to be better utilised. It comes following the release today of the final report into the scheme. RACGP President Dr Nicole Higgins said that GPs must be front and centre. “It is concerning that the report doesn’t deeply delve into healthcare for people with a disability, including general practice care,” she said. “The Government must recognise that GPs play a vital role in disability care, and barriers do exist. For example, there is no Medicare patient rebate for NDIS…

Media Outreach made fast, easy, simple.

Feature your press release on Medianet's News Hub every time your distribute with Medianet. Pay per release or save with a subscription.