Discount jabs under fire
A discount war for flu injections in pharmacies is cheapening a medical procedure into a product like shampoo, according to some doctors.
The Australian Medical Association WA said flu shots marketed by chemists for as little as $9.99 were turning vaccination into something "cheap and nasty".
Several pharmacy chains have offered in-house flu vaccinations by nurse practitioners since 2011, with the charge tumbling from $30 to under $10 this year.
The State Government also recently agreed that WA pharmacists should also be able to dispense vaccinations.
But AMA WA president Michael Gannon said "shopping centre vaccination" was not good medicine.
"We have to be open-minded to different methods of improving vaccination rates and health authorities are doing it for the right reasons but they have not listened to our arguments," he said.
"This is a cash grab and all they are doing is helping to deliver profits to big multinational retail pharmacies."
He was also concerned about community faith in safe immunisation protocols and sales in pharmacies for $9.99 diminished the importance of vaccination being a professional service.
But WA Pharmacy Guild president Stephen Wragg said it was about making vaccinations more available.
Health Minister Kim Hames said he did not have a problem with pharmacies carrying out immunisation, which was why he agreed to pharmacists being able to administer injections.
"Immunisation is the best known safeguard against the flu and this program means more people can be encouraged to access the vaccination at a local pharmacy," he said.
Dr Hames said all usual safeguards would apply and pharmacists would be trained to ensure high standards and a consistent service overseen by the Health Department.
He said the program was already under way in other States.
