PLAN ANNOUNCED

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 276, 20 November 1937, Page 7

PLAN ANNOUNCED

PHARMACY INDUSTRY PROPOSALS OUTLINED INDIVIDUAL OWNERSHIP I Per Press Association J WELLINGTON, Nov.. 19. Detailed proposals for the reorganisation of the pharmacy industry havebeen completed by the Bureau of Industry and approved by the Minister of Industries and Commerce, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan. The plan, which provides for the establisnment of a committee of seven members and the appointment of a Director of Pharmacy to carry out its provisions, was outlined this evening by the Minister, who stated that copies of it had 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 ol next month.

The basic points of the plan were outlined by the Minister as follows; Ensuring the dispensing or standard quality drugs at reasonable prices by or under the immediate supervision of qualified pharmacists; retaining individual ownership and operation ol pharmacies without preventing the properly-controlled operation ol company chain pharmacies; the exclusion of wholesale druggists, manufacturing chemists, indentors and overseas representatives whose industries may be the subject of separate plans. “The plan does not propose to introduce at the present stage an official drug tariff and a standard dispensing lee and to require their compulsory observance,” Mr. Sullivan added, “but it is recognised that when practicable those steps should be taken.” . « Discussing the. detailed proposals the Minister said it was suggested that the present licensing system should continue, and that licences should be granted only to those persons and lirms whose principal business is that of pharmacy. It was proposed to consider applications lor licences from chain company pharmacies on their merits, but the extension of the chain company pharmacy would be so limited as to preserve the existence ol the individual pharmacy to a degree necessary 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 eacit by the United Friendly Societies’ dispensaries an.l employee-. All members other than those nominated by toe Government are to be members of the Pharmaceutical Society. A Director of Pharmacy, who, with the committee, will be responsible for carrying out the plan, is to be appointed subject to the approval of the Bureau of Industry. Administration expenses and the development of any necessary compensation fund will be defrayed by the collection of levies from retail chemists struck on a board basis of annual turnover. Under the plan the retail i sale of all substances included in the British Pharmacopoeia or the British Pharmaceutical Codex will be confined to pharmacists, 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 issue of a hawker's licence unless persons concerned are associated with or supported by a substantial firm.