A Pharmacy Guild of Australia spokesperson:
“The Guild notes the ACCC’s decision. Many unanswered questions remain, despite the undertakings.
“The ACCC will need to carefully monitor the merger and its impact on patients and the diversity of the community pharmacy landscape over the coming years.
“A reduction in wholesaling choices for community pharmacy is a substantial reduction which will lessen competition.
“Reduced competition ultimately leads to higher prices for patients and lower service standards. It’s disappointing the ACCC accepted limited behavioural undertakings and did not explore structural undertakings.
“Market consolidation in health services like oncology, general practice, pathology and now community pharmacy, is not in the best interests of patients. It leads to non-competitive duopolies, an unequal distribution of doctors and a reduction in smaller businesses better equipped to provide local and personalised health services to their communities.”
