Maddocks advised the Commonwealth Department of Health on the drafting and negotiation of the Sixth Community Pharmacy Agreement (the 6CPA) with the Pharmacy Guild of Australia.

Since 1990, the Government and the Pharmacy Guild have negotiated a series of agreements on the remuneration that pharmacists receive for dispensing Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) medicines and the regulations regarding the location of pharmacies.

The 6CPA facilitates the payment of in excess of $21 billion in funding to community pharmacies and other suppliers in the pharmaceutical supply chain, as part of the PBS.

As part of this engagement, we also assisted with the implementation of the broader PBS Access and Sustainability Package, including a proposed strategic agreement with Medicines Australia Limited and the amendment of current legislative instruments made under the National Health Act 1953 (Cth).

Ron Smooker and Andrew Whiteside led the matter for Maddocks.