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Australia no place for global pharmacy brands
Posted 8 March 2016
While US-based Walgreens Boots Alliance is looking at establishing a retail pharmacy network in Australia, the Pharmacy Guild and wholesaler Sigma Pharmaceuticals pointed to barriers such as existing pharmacy ownership rules.
Global brands president of Walgreen Boots Alliance, Ken Murphy, in Australia to speak at a retail conference, said that the group would like to open company-owned Boots pharmacies in Australia by acquisition of pharmacies, but was prevented from doing so by ownership regulations.
Regulation around pharmacy operations in Australia has significant public benefit and has served Australian health care consumers very well for a long time, a Guild spokesperson said.
"We continue to believe in the strong merits of pharmacies being owned by pharmacists, rather than by corporations whose primary focus is on shareholder financial interests," the Guild said.
"Under the current Sixth Community Pharmacy Agreement, there is a review of pharmacy remuneration and regulation. The Commonwealth has carriage of pharmacy location rules, but ownership provisions are the domain of the states and territories."
On competition, the Guild's view is that by walking down any high street or observing newspaper or direct advertising customers will see that there is plenty of competition among Australian pharmacies.
Sigma Pharmaceuticals chief executive Mark Hooper said this week he is not concerned over stories suggesting that US partner Walgreen Boots wants to start its own retail pharmacy franchise in Australia.
Sigma has an existing relationship with Boots as a retailer and distributes some Boots health and beauty products into Sigma banners such as Amcal pharmacy. These include Boots Laboratories, Boots skin care, Optiva and other brands.
"Current regulations on pharmacy ownership don't allow corporate ownership of pharmacies so I believe we're a fair way off any large scale entry from offshore players," Mr Hooper said.
Walgreens Boots Alliance, one of the US's largest drugstore chains, completed its strategic acquisition of the UK's Alliance Boots in December 2014.
Warren Beaumont
warren.beaumont@lushmedia.com.au
Posted 8 March 2016
While US-based Walgreens Boots Alliance is looking at establishing a retail pharmacy network in Australia, the Pharmacy Guild and wholesaler Sigma Pharmaceuticals pointed to barriers such as existing pharmacy ownership rules.
Global brands president of Walgreen Boots Alliance, Ken Murphy, in Australia to speak at a retail conference, said that the group would like to open company-owned Boots pharmacies in Australia by acquisition of pharmacies, but was prevented from doing so by ownership regulations.
Regulation around pharmacy operations in Australia has significant public benefit and has served Australian health care consumers very well for a long time, a Guild spokesperson said.
"We continue to believe in the strong merits of pharmacies being owned by pharmacists, rather than by corporations whose primary focus is on shareholder financial interests," the Guild said.
"Under the current Sixth Community Pharmacy Agreement, there is a review of pharmacy remuneration and regulation. The Commonwealth has carriage of pharmacy location rules, but ownership provisions are the domain of the states and territories."
On competition, the Guild's view is that by walking down any high street or observing newspaper or direct advertising customers will see that there is plenty of competition among Australian pharmacies.
Sigma Pharmaceuticals chief executive Mark Hooper said this week he is not concerned over stories suggesting that US partner Walgreen Boots wants to start its own retail pharmacy franchise in Australia.
Sigma has an existing relationship with Boots as a retailer and distributes some Boots health and beauty products into Sigma banners such as Amcal pharmacy. These include Boots Laboratories, Boots skin care, Optiva and other brands.
"Current regulations on pharmacy ownership don't allow corporate ownership of pharmacies so I believe we're a fair way off any large scale entry from offshore players," Mr Hooper said.
Walgreens Boots Alliance, one of the US's largest drugstore chains, completed its strategic acquisition of the UK's Alliance Boots in December 2014.
Warren Beaumont
warren.beaumont@lushmedia.com.au
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