In what marks the end of an era for quality use of medicines in Australia, NPS MedicineWise will say a final farewell and close its doors on 31 December 2022. After 24 years of continuous service and leadership, Australia will no longer have an independent, evidence-based organisation that is dedicated to championing safe and appropriate medicines use. The closure is the direct result of an Australian Government decision to redesign its quality use of medicines program and cease funding to NPS MedicineWise.
“While there is a lot of disappointment and sadness that NPS MedicineWise is winding up, there is also much to celebrate” says CEO Katherine Burchfield. “Over 24 years, NPS MedicineWise has led a step change in the quality use of medicines in Australia, to the benefit of all Australians. And, in spite of the challenges we have faced with the COVID-19 pandemic and the loss of Government funding, the programs that NPS MedicineWise has delivered in its last year have been among the most valued and impactful to date.”
In the last 12 months, over 15 million users have accessed NPS MedicineWise’s extensive online resources. Every university medical and pharmacy school in Australia has utilised the National Prescribing Curriculum. Over 100,000 people have subscribed to the independent, peer-reviewed Australian Prescriber Journal and almost 10,000 consumer calls were made to the Medicines Line for expert advice on medicine.
Over 18,000 GPs and one-third of all residential aged care facilities have accessed NPS MedicineWise’s educational visiting programs in this final year. These final programs have focused on supporting some of Australia’s biggest health priorities and most vulnerable communities, delivering improvements in: early and effective management of mental ill health in young people; the safe use of medicines in older Australians; and identification and management of Chronic Kidney Disease which impacts one in ten adults in Australia (and the one in five Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people).
There have been many highlights for NPS MedicineWise over its 24-year history, including:
The design and delivery of over 150 multi-faceted national education programs across more than 20 therapeutic areas, grounded in the science of behaviour change and demonstrating significant changes in practice.
The establishment of MedicineInsight, a nationally representative primary care dataset with 682 participating GP practices, that informs post-market surveillance of medicines, quality improvement in primary care and research into medicine use.
Choosing Wisely Australia, a partnership with over 90% of Australian medical colleges, and part of an international movement that encourages conversations about unnecessary tests, treatments, and procedures.
Development of the MedicineWise App that supports and enables consumers to keep track of medicines and complex medicines regimes as well as access important health information.
These highlights are worth celebrating and also serve as an important benchmark against which to monitor future arrangements around the quality use of medicines in Australia - including the future of existing programs, given their importance to the health sector, consumers and academics alike.
CEO Katherine Burchfield says “The depth and breadth of NPS MedicineWise initiatives, resources and expertise is impressive and has been recognised internationally, including by the World Health Organisation. This has been reflected in the many messages of support that we continue to receive from health professionals and consumers who use and value our resources.”
“I am proud to have had the opportunity to lead such a passionate and skilled team over the last year. I would like to thank all of our team at NPS MedicineWise for their hard work and dedication, our many partners for contributing their time and expertise, and the members of our various advisory and reference groups, who have given their time so generously.”
“NPS MedicineWise, together with its partners, has had a profound impact on the Australian health sector. We will leave behind an incredible legacy and a strong foundation for ensuring the quality use of medicines into the future. It is now up to others to take this forward.”
Robyn Lindner, NPS MedicineWise: 02 8217 8771 or rlindner@nps.org.au