The Nurses Society believes the government decision to reintroduce a $5 charge for drug prescriptions from today is a backward step.

While the co-payment may be a small amount, it can mount up for an individual or a family, and even with exemptions can cause some patients not to present their prescriptions and therefore fail to take their prescribed medications.

Nurses Society director David Wills says the move is “short-sighted and not evidence based”.

There is good research to show that costs, even when there are exemptions, can prevent some patients from taking their prescribed medications. 

Moreover, a universal approach is generally more efficient than targeting.

Co-payments generate limited income and result in unnecessary processing costs. 

The Society believes the impact of the charge should be closely monitored in the hope that this will cause a change of policy in due course.

The Nurses Society believes the government decision to reintroduce a $5 charge for drug prescriptions from today is a backward step.

While the co-payment may be a small amount, it can mount up for an individual or a family, and even with exemptions can cause some patients not to present their prescriptions and therefore fail to take their prescribed medications.

Nurses Society director David Wills says the move is “short-sighted and not evidence based”.

There is good research to show that costs, even when there are exemptions, can prevent some patients from taking their prescribed medications. 

Moreover, a universal approach is generally more efficient than targeting.

Co-payments generate limited income and result in unnecessary processing costs. 

The Society believes the impact of the charge should be closely monitored in the hope that this will cause a change of policy in due course.