Access to medicines & pharmacy services

Question 1

What are the five A’s of acceptability?

Answer 1

1. APPROACHABILITY is knowing the service required is available and attainable;
2. ACCEPTABILITY is approving that service;
3. AFFORDABILITY is costs associated with service;
4. APPRORIATENESS is how well service matches needs;
5. AVAILABILTY & ACCOMODATION is if that service can be reached physically in an appropriate amount of time.

Question 2

What are medicines information services?

a type of service

Answer 2

a service that allows health professionals + public ask about information on medicines; service finds and researches information on medicines that are asked about.

Question 3

How can medicines’ cost be decreased? Who does this?

associated with affordability

Answer 3

[i] Cost can be lowered via subdivision by taxpayer, therefore increasing accessibility. [ii] PHARMAC controls subdivisions and tries to keep costs down as much as possible

Question 4

What is pharmacovigilance? Who is it done by?

a type of service

Answer 4

[i] the monitoring and prevention of adverse side effects of medication [ii] done by Centre for Adverse Reactions Monitoring (CARM).

Question 5

What act was introduced to ensure quality, efficacy and safety of medicines before they’re introduced to market?

Answer 5

[i] Medicines Act 1981; after thalidomide case. A lot of pre-clinical and clinical testing & research is needed; approval of medsafe needed.

Question 6

Classification of medicines balances access and safety. What are the classifications?

Answer 6

[1] prescription medicines; [2] restricted (pharmacist-only) medicines [3] pharmacy-only medicines; [4] general sales medicines.