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Johannesburg -
The professional fees that pharmacists may charge in 2010 have
been published, the SA Pharmacy Council said on Wednesday.
"Setting the fees will provide a basis to investigate
allegations of overcharging by pharmacists," SA Pharmacy president,
Bada Pharasi told journalists in Pretoria.
He said the publication of the fees would clarify payment for
services, and give medical schemes the opportunity to incorporate
services into their benefit schedule for 2010.
"The publication of these fees will protect consumers from
exploitation while ensuring that pharmacists are remunerated fairly
for their services."
Under the guidelines published in the Government Gazette, the
fee for after hours or call out services must be levied separately.
The guideline also states that services for which a pharmacist
may levy a fee may not be advertised in a manner that is not
factually correct, is misleading, and harms the dignity of the
pharmacy profession.
Pharmacists may not tout or attempt to tout for services for
which he wish to levy a fee.
The recommended fees came into being following a study
commissioned by the SA Pharmacy Council to determine professional
fees that pharmacists may charge.
Pharasi said the study showed that pharmacists performed a
professional function independently of any product that was
supplied or sold.
"It is therefore logical and fair that pharmacists should be
appropriately remunerated. Professional fees for these services
should be independent of the price of any medicines supplied," he
said.
The recommended fees aimed to set a uniform price for service
country wide for pharmacists.
According to the list in the Government Gazette, blood pressure
monitoring by a pharmacist would cost R44.40, pregnancy screening
costs R79.60, reproductive health services cost R69.50 while
administration of immunisation costs R54.70.
Pharasi said pharmacists would display the price list in their
pharmacies to enable consumers to know what fee to pay for services
provided.
He said the council supported government's efforts to make
medicine affordable and accessible, and to ensure that pricing of
medicines was transparent.
- Sapa