23 January 2007

Consumers are becoming more active in the management of their health with an increase in the number of people who reported asking questions of their doctor and pharmacist when being prescribed a new medicine.

Awareness of Consumer Medicine Information (CMI) leaflets has also increased from 24% in 2003 to 37% in 2006, and requests for CMI leaflets have increased from 13% in 2003 to 32% in 2006.

“Provision of independent medicines information for consumers continues to be a priority for NPS. We provide information and services nationally to population based groups including older people, people with chronic conditions, multicultural communities, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities” said Dr Lynn Weekes, CEO.

“Other highlights from the report include a positive change in GP prescribing of asthma medications and proton pump inhibitors following NPS’s GP education programs which are delivered locally through divisions of general practice.

“At 30 June 2006 NPS had contracts with 115 divisions which is an increase from 43 in 1999 and now covers 97% of divisions. There have been 47 000 educational visits since 1998, providing one-to-one contacts for 14 000 individual GPs.

“Currently about 50% of GPs are actively participating each year in NPS activities in addition to receiving NPS print publications.

“NPS RADAR, a publication that provides information on new drugs and PBS listings for health professionals appears to have had an impact on attitudes and prescribing.

“Attitude change was most often reported by pharmacists (90%), followed by GPs (88%). Almost 89% of GPs and 75% of other medical specialists indicated that their prescribing had also been influenced by NPS RADAR,” said Dr Weekes.

NPS has further improved economic outcomes by providing over $304.4 million in savings to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme since 1998.

The full report is available on the NPS website: www.nps.org.au

ENDS

NPS is an independent, non-profit organisation for Quality Use of Medicines funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.