13 August 2020 –
Today Consumer Healthcare Products (CHP) Australia shares its submission to the National COVID-19 Commission Advisory Board outlining how, if given appropriate support, the nonprescription medicines industry can enhance supply chain resilience, generate new, high-quality, skilled jobs and support the long-term sustainability of Australia’s healthcare system.
Harnessing the industry's insights and learnings from the COVID-19 pandemic so far, CHP Australia reflects that while the global supply chain has shown it can be robust and effective, additional resilience is needed to address the vulnerabilities of increased medicines nationalism, international factionalism, and political interference.
Endorsing the development of parallel strategies for reinforcing supply chain resilience and extending capacity for domestic medicines manufacturing, CHP Australia CEO, Dr Deon Schoombie, notes that the benefits extend beyond the supply chain.
“A strong domestic manufacturing sector has the capacity to provide new and ongoing economic growth for Australia, capitalising on the burgeoning export market for Australian made health products.”
“However, with competitive global market conditions and the higher costs of domestic operations, ensuring the commercial viability of domestic operations continues to be an ongoing obstacle to attracting and retaining investment.”
CHP Australia concludes that, if Australia wants to secure the benefits of a robust, flexible, pandemic-ready medicines manufacturing sector, targeted incentives for domestic operations are required.
The submission also examines the evolving role and value of self-care in the COVID-19 environment, and supports the recommendations of a new report by the Mitchell Institute, Self-care and health: by all, for all. Learning from COVID-19.
"Embedding support for self-care in our health care structures could not only help improve the health and well-being for individuals and communities, but also limit the devastating impact of infectious diseases." Dr Deon Schoombie.