The Pharmacy Guild of Australia has rejected the latest report from the Grattan Institute, arguing the analysis misunderstands the role of community pharmacies and risks undermining equitable access to medicines and primary care.
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The age-old argument for supermarket pharmacies misses the point, and the risks
A trip through a US supermarket or large retail outlet often takes you past a bank, an optometrist, a pharmacy, and sometimes insurance counters. These shops in the US are generally larger and configured to offer these multiple services. Australian supermarkets are typically smaller, and recent retail trends indicate they are shrinking further as retailers optimise floor plans for high‑margin groceries. Simply slotting a pharmacy into that footprint is neither straightforward nor, in most cases, practical.
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Latest News Pharmacy Guild rejects Grattan Institute report, describing community pharmacies as essential health providers July 13, 2026
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Latest News Can GLP-1s be more transformative than AI - one person believes they already are July 14, 2026While Australia is debating whether to fund weight-loss medication for a group of very sick people, one American thought leader argues against rationing innovations that are having a profoundly positive impact on quality of life.
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Latest News What is it with this organisation's obsession with pharmacy and Europe? July 13, 2026This report is an out-of-touch, selectively sourced exercise in policy obsession, with Europe of all places, that ignores the one place where pharmacy supermarkets are common and the overwhelming success of a critical piece of Australia's public health infrastructure.
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Latest News The inevitability of disappointment over a reform process that has devolved into word games July 12, 2026Another stage in the Delphi studies is the latest equivalent of a menu in a Soviet-era restaurant. This is your choice. Permitted responses are limited to 'yes or no'. No other options will be considered. After almost 1,800 days, we are playing word games over technical inputs that were identified as issues before the review was announced.
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Latest News Mesoblast reports strong cell therapy revenue as first year as uptake grows July 13, 2026Mesoblast Chief Executive Dr Silviu Itescu said, “We are very pleased with the strong uptake of Ryoncil since launch, and with revenues that have already exceeded our initial projections.”
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Latest News Disruption is the overdue remedy and how this debate can revitalise the PBS July 10, 2026If there’s one thing to say about the PBS, it’s that public debate around the program has long been stagnant. Narrowly focused on process and technical inputs for too long. It has been the policy equivalent of a stagnant body of water.
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Podcast The 'Dispatched' Podcast - Series 5, Ep 23 July 10, 2026The MS medicines controversy continues. Why wouldn’t the minister just deal with it and make it go away? It may not be that easy. Why any resolution will probably deal with symptoms rather than the cause. The realities of ministerial offices and the challenges they face that are not visible to outsiders. Another 'phrase of the week' is dissected to reveal its true meaning.
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Latest News Older Australians are underestimating their personal risk from RSV July 10, 2026New research commissioned by GSK Australia suggests many Australians aged 65 years and over do not recognise how seriously respiratory syncytial virus could potentially impact them, despite considering it a serious condition.
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Latest News Melbourne study links higher tumour radiation dose to longer progression-free survival July 10, 2026Researchers in Melbourne have reported an association between the radiation dose tumours receive during radiopharmaceutical therapy and progression-free survival in patients with metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer.
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Latest News It might make sense to follow the process, mostly, but no need to keep patients waiting July 9, 2026Officials could communicate the committee's advice from the meeting, as has happened in the past, and the minister could act accordingly. That could involve accepting the advice, making a decision to ensure patients maintain reimbursed access, as he has prioritised, or both. Probably best to resolve it quickly for patients.
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Latest News Territory partnership backs digital health push for diabetes, kidney and heart care July 9, 2026A $680,000 partnership between Diabetes Australia, Lilly Australia and the Menzies School of Health Research will expand a digital health platform aimed at improving care for people with diabetes, kidney and cardiovascular disease across the Northern Territory.
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Latest News Illumina taps medtech leader to head Australia and New Zealand operations July 8, 2026Illumina has appointed Susan Martin as General Manager for Australia and New Zealand, strengthening the company’s regional leadership as it pushes to integrate genomics more broadly into clinical care.
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Latest News In a perfect world, the minister would not be in this position, and he might question the timeline July 8, 2026When he was announcing the PBS listing of one of these at-risk MS medicines late last year, having presumably been told that any price reduction would put it at risk, officials were probably well and truly in the process of manoeuvring the provider of another off-patent medicine brand into accepting an almost 50 per cent cut.
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Latest News 'But I've said it's really important that these two drugs stay on the PBS' July 7, 2026Health Minister Mark Butler has said the government is not attempting to price two recently listed medicines at the same level as old off-patent treatments, and has reminded officials and the PBAC that he expects them to remain on the PBS.
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Latest News Aegros completes Australia’s second large scale plasma fractionation plant July 8, 2026Aegros' chief executive, Damian Thornton, a 35‑year industry veteran brought in after a financial and board restructure, said the company’s 2025 capital raise was pivotal in addressing prior debt issues and unlocking completion of the facility without further government funding beyond R&D tax incentives.
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Latest News Australia must keep development manufacturing and jobs here to secure health and economic benefits July 7, 2026AusBiotech CEO Rebekah Cassidy said, “Let’s be clear, while the changes aren’t due to take effect until 2028, they are already influencing decisions. Our sector is urgently seeking a meeting with the Treasurer and a consultation process to bring forward a resolution."
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Latest News Just another attempt to create a new excuse to avoid a meaningful discussion about change July 7, 2026Terms like 'independent experts', 'evidence-based decision making', and 'value' have been consistently invoked for decades in response to criticism. They sound reasonable. The truth is that they are meaningless, highly subjective rhetorical shields that primarily serve to disarm criticism and hobble discussion. The proposed reforms to trade agreements negotiations is an attempt to create another shield to hobble discussions.
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Latest News Australian Healthcare Associates retains deal to administer the CSO funding pool through 2029 July 7, 2026Australian Healthcare Associates has been reappointed to continue as the Administration Agency for the Community Service Obligation Funding Pool under the First Pharmaceutical Wholesaler Agreement.
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Latest News Brandon Capital secures landmark Novartis acquisition of Myricx Bio July 6, 2026Australia’s largest life sciences private equity company, Brandon Capital, has announced a landmark exit as Novartis moves to acquire its portfolio company Myricx Bio in a deal valued at up to US$1.5 billion, including an upfront cash payment of US$1.1 billion and further milestone payments.
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Can GLP-1s be more transformative than AI - one person believes they already are
July 14, 2026 - - Latest News -
The age-old argument for supermarket pharmacies misses the point, and the risks
July 14, 2026 - - Latest News -
Pharmacy Guild rejects Grattan Institute report, describing community pharmacies as essential health providers
July 13, 2026 - - Latest News -
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July 13, 2026 - - Australian Biotech -
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