Plan for Pharmacy Industry

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 49, 20 November 1937, Page 6

Plan for Pharmacy Industry

-Press Association.)

COMMITTEE CONTROL Chain-Company Operations Will be Limited BASIC POINTS,OUTLINEB

(By Telegraph -

WELLINGTON, Last Night. Detailed proposals for the reorgani Nation of the pharmacy industry have been completedby the Bureau of Industry and approved by the Minister o£ Industries and Commerce, the Hon. 3). G. Sullivan. The plan, wihich provides for the establishment of a committee of seven members and the appointment of a Director of Phannacy to carry out its provisions, was ontlrned this evening by the Minister, who stated that -copies of it bad been forwarded to the principals of more than 600 pharmacies throughout the Dominion, together with voting papers on "which they would be asked to make known their opinions - before the middle of nest month. Tbe basie points of the plan were •■tlined by "he Minister as follow: — Ensuring the dispensing of standard quality drugs at reasonable price3 by, or under the immediate supervision of, qualified pharmacistB. Retaining individual ownership and operation of pharmacies, without preventing the properly-controlled operation of company chain pharmaeies. ' 5 The exelusion of wholesale druggists, manufacturing ohemists, indentors and overseas representatives, -wbose industries may be 'the subject of separate plans. "The plan does not propose to introduce, at the present stage, an official drug tariff and standard dispensing f .o, and to require their compulsory observance," Mr Sullivan added, "but it is recognised that, when praeticable, those steps sbould be taken." Li discussing the detailed proposals, the Minister said it was suggested that the present licensing system should continue and that licenees should ,>e granted only to those persons and firms whose principal business was that of a pharmacy. It was proposed to consider applications for licenees from chain eompany pharmacies on their merits bnt any extension of the chain compaiiy pharmacy would be so limited as to preserve the existence of the individual pharmacy to the degree necesaary to give an adequate national health service. The Pharmacy Plan Industrial Committee would comprise three members nominated by the Government, two nominated by the Pharmacy Board, and one each by the TJnited Friendly Societies' dispensaries and employees. All - ; members, other than those nominated by the Government, were to be' members of the PhaTmaceutical Society. The Director of Pharmacy, who, with the committee, wotild be responsible for earrying out the plan, was to be app'ointed subject to the approval of the Bureau of Industry. The administra- ^ tion expenses and the development of " any necessary compensation fund would be defrayed by the collection of levies from Tetail cbemists, struck on a broad basis of 1jae annual tuxnover. . Under the plan the retail sale of : II . substances ineluded in the British Pharmacopoeia or the British Pharmaceutical Cocfex will be confined #to phannacists, although certain goods set out in the plan will be excepted. It is proposed that the committee should recommend to the Minister of Health the registration of all formulae of proprietary medicines, and the prevention of the issue of hawkers' licenees unless the persons concerned are associated with or supported by a substantial firm.