Understanding how pharmacies operate in Australia

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Pharmacists dispense prescription medicine. Credit: Tom Werner/Getty Images

In Australia pharmacists dispense prescription medications and provide healthcare advice, educating the community on the use of medicines and disease prevention.


Key Points
  • If you receive a prescription for medication from a doctor, you must then visit a pharmacy to have the prescription dispensed.
  • Pharmacists are also able to provide selected health screenings including blood pressure monitoring and can sometimes also give immunisations.
  • Australia’s Pharmaceutical Benefit Scheme (PBS) is a subsidy designed to provide affordable access to a range of medicines – and to receive the subsidy, the patient must be an Australian Resident and hold a current Medicare Card.

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