The peak body repxjmtzywresenting pharmacies in Australia says stock shortages for rapid antigen tests have started to ease this week and although not yet steady, things are “heading in the right direction”.
It comes as it can be revealed Chemist Warehouse has supplied two thirds of free RATs to pensioners and concession card holders since the federal government program launched on January 24.
Health Minister Greg Hunt on Wednesday said 3.1 million free RATs had been handed out under the scheme, which is available to about six million Australians.
Chemist Warehouse estimates it has handed out about two million of those free tests.
Mr Hunt told reporters he received a message from the boss of Australia’s largest pharmacy retailer, Mario Cauteruccio, about supply on Wednesday morning.
“The message from the CEO … was that they have very significant supplies,” Mr Hunt said.
Chemist Warehouse co-owner Mario Verrochi told NCA NewsWire that Chemist Warehouse had “a few million” RATs arrive in the last week because they ordered them in early December.
“It’s been a challenge since New Year’s Eve or since Boxing Day and it’s taken a while for supply to meet demand,” he said.
“But we saw Omicron exploding in December, so we ramped up our orders big time then and that stock has been arriving in the last week or so.”
He said they had so far serviced 400,000 concession card patients and most of those were five-packs, meaning it equated to about two million tests.
Pharmacy Guild of Australia Victorian Branch President Anthony Tassone said the number of RATs provided under the concession program “probably” would have been higher than three million if there weren’t stock shortages.
A major issue for pharmacies was they had to source the RATs themselves after the government announced the program.
“From feedback by our members, the stock situation has shown signs of improving this week, with wholesalers and suppliers expecting a stronger stock position over the next fortnight,” he said.
“It is probably a little too early to say the status of stock is steady, ongoing and certain, but it is starting to head in the right direction.”
But he said the smaller pharmacies were worried about having to pay for the free RATs themselves, then waiting to be reimbursed.
“Pharmacies have expressed concern over cashflow considerations in terms of possibly having to pay for part or all of the purchase price of the rapid antigen tests, and awaiting payment under the program by the end of February,” he said.
Under the scheme, concession card holders and pensioners can access up to 10 free RATs over a three-month period.
