Submission and Policy Updates

The last month has seen Painaustralia provide several submissions into a variety of policy development areas. 
 

National Medicines Policy
Twelve months ago the Australian Government’s Department of Health called for input into the Review of the National Medicines Policy (NMP), a policy which aims to deliver positive health outcomes for all Australians through their access to and appropriate use of medicines. This policy was first developed 20 years ago, and Painaustralia supports the need to update the NMP to ensure it reflects the significant changes that have occurred in health in the past two decades.

Last month the Government issued its consultation draft of the review which Painaustralia has again commented on. While we support the general principles proposed in the review, there are still gaps in the consultation draft. These include not extending the definition of medicines to include medical devices, a need for a committee that oversees the NMP comprising of consumers, health organisations, health professionals and industry representation and a focus on outcomes so that the success of the policy can be truly measured.

You can view Painaustralia’s original submission into the NMP here.

Pharmaceutical Reform Agreements
In February, alongside the Consumers Health Forum (CHF) and the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO), Painaustralia was invited to provide feedback in response to the Pharmaceutical Reform Agreements (PRA) review 2021-22. We highlighted the need for improved, clear, consistent, and easy to understand communication between the hospital and home for consumers in regard to their medications.

Pregabalin
Last month we sought input on your experiences with taking the medication Pregabalin (also known as Lyrica) via our Facebook page. Thank you for your responses to our survey with feedback from more than 100 people.  A common theme that emerged from the feedback was the severe sedating side-effect that was experienced from taking the medication. The feedback helped us to shape our response in a submission to the Australian Government Department of Health’s Drug Utilisation Sub-Committee and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee about the use of Pregabalin.  

Medicinal Cannabis Reforms – Consultation on Draft TGO 93
This month Painaustralia provided a submission into the Therapeutic Goods Administration’s (TGA) Consultation Draft on Medicinal Cannabis Reforms. This latest consultation is part of Australian Government Department of Health reforms to the way medicinal cannabis products are packaged and marketed. 

Our recommendations included the suggestion for labels to be placed on the bottles of the products, not just on the outside of the box. We also called for a recommendation detailing the need for an education campaign about medicinal cannabis for consumers and health professionals, to build awareness of the use of medicinal cannabis products and their broader role in effective pain management. This is important to ensure consumers are kept informed of the benefits and risks posed by these products.