PROSECUTION OF DOCTORS

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25737, 24 February 1949, Page 5

PROSECUTION OF DOCTORS

AUSTRALIAN CABINET CONSIDERS STEP OPPOSITION - TO FREE MEDICAL SCHEMES '

Tk a CANBERRA, February 23. , •? , Australian Government has decided that if it has power it will prosecute doctors who refuse to take E ar LA n th . e free medicine and national £r eal & schemes. The Minister of Health (Senator N. E. McKenna) and the Attorney-General (Dr. H. V. Evatt) will examine the Governments powers under the relevant legislation. Two measures are involved. The Pharmaceutical Benefits Act, which introduced free medicine, is already law, and the National Health Scheme Act, which provides for payment by the Government of half the doctors’ fees, has not yet been proclaimed. A Government caucus is expected to endorse the Cabinet plans this week. a cabinet meeting Ministers said that something should be done to * he deadlock with the British Medical Association over the free medicine service. It was felt that the New South Wales section of the association was chiefly responsible for the

rt „ Dr - Evatt and Senator McKenna believe that enforcement of the existing W new regulations and heavy penalties will not conflict with the constitution, which was altered by the referendum of 1946 to enable the Govservicest create medical and dental

Dr. J. Hunter, secretary Federal Council of the British Medical Association, said that if the Government Was threatening the doctors it wasl doing so in a silly way. *5 at he believe d the Government had no power to force doctors to write out prescriptions on GovPiiiment forms. Doctors throughout „ “ nf abaw -£ e unanimous in their opposition to the Government scheme.