Issues on Dispensing

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Issues on Dispensing

• Dr Percy Mahlathi

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National Drug Policy 1996

• Health objectives
• Availability accessibility of medicines
• Safety, efficacy quality
• Rational use by prescribers, dispensers
  patients through training, education
  information
• Concept of individual responsibility for health,
  preventive care informed decision making

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National Drug Policy

• Economic objectives
• Lower cost in private public sectors
• Promote cost-effective rational use
• Establish complementary partnership between
  government and private providers in
  pharmaceutical sector

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Registration Licensing

• Only registered practitioners licensed (Act 101
  of 1965)
• Medical Practitioners Nurses not permitted to
  dispense except where no services available
• For doctors nurses to dispense, need dispensing
  license

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Registration Licensing

• Proven competency by virtue of successful
  completion of training programme
• Uniform norms standards incorporated into one
  set of regulations
• Non-pharmacist ownership, pharmacy to be under
  the full-time management supervision of a
  registered pharmacist

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Act 90 of 1997

• Many aspects of national drug policy incorporated
  into Act 90
• Consideration of objective conditions
• Ensure minimum deviation from policy position
• Leave room for improvement based on experience
  gathered during implementation

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Other issues in GP

• Market forces
• Direct payment
• Self referral to specialists
• Pre-authorization
• Oversupply in certain areas
• HMOs

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Progress on Licensing