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[post_content] => PSA presented its 2025 Queensland Excellence Awards in Brisbane over the weekend, recognising five outstanding pharmacists for their commitment to excellence in pharmacy practice.
PSA Queensland President Hannah Knowles MPS acknowledged the outstanding achievements of this year’s award winners and nominees, as well as the continued dedication of pharmacists practising throughout the state.
‘The amazing work pharmacists do in communities across Queensland every day is inspiring and it’s a great privilege to recognise them for what they do to advance the profession,’ she said.
‘On behalf of the PSA, I congratulate the outstanding pharmacists presented with awards and thank them for their commitment to bettering the health of Queenslanders.’
2025 PSA Queensland Pharmacist of the Year – Peter Fairgray MPS
As the Queensland lead for Men’s Health Downunder, pharmacy owner Mr Fairgray supports men in their recovery from prostate surgery, and assists those experiencing Peyronie’s disease, erectile dysfunction, or other conditions affecting the male anatomy.
As one of the first prescribing pharmacists, Mr Fairgray is passionate about safeguarding the public’s health and wellbeing. He is also a committed advocate for the profession, freely giving his time to train and energise fellow pharmacists.
Queensland Early Career Pharmacist of the Year – Gift Sailim MPS
Based in Far North Queensland, Ms Sailim is an accredited full-scope practitioner and forward-thinking innovator in compounding. She is a compassionate, community-focused pharmacist who elevates the profession.
Ms Phillips’ postgraduate research is focused on developing medicines for gestational diabetes, demonstrating her advocacy for safe, effective and equitable medicines use. As an accredited pharmacist, Ms Phillips also regularly liaises with rural and remote communities, improving care by providing medication reviews and collaborating with local clinicians.
Queensland Intern of the Year – Kaden Collier MPS
As a pharmacy intern, Mr Collier has shown exemplary commitment to patient care and medicines safety. Reducing jargon at every opportunity, he keeps medicines education accessible and relevant. Mr Collier strives to understand what’s important to patients and provides patient-centred care that aligns with their goals. When counselling patients, he uses educational resources, demonstrating evidence-based practice by explaining the rationale behind pharmacological and non-pharmacological forms of therapy.
Queensland Lifetime Achievement Award 2025 – Dr Danielle Stowasser MPS
Dr Stowasser has continuously advanced hospital pharmacy through innovation, leadership and tireless commitment. From pioneering safer transitions of care, to shaping national medicines safety and quality use of medicines initiatives, her impact extends across Australia. Dr Stowasser’s devotion, persistence, and vision exemplify the highest standards of the profession. Over her extensive career, Dr Stowasser has contributed to all six action items for change identified in PSA’s Pharmacists in 2030.
Professor James Dare Pharmacy Graduate of the Year – Tahlia O’Hara
Ms O’Hara, pharmacy student at Griffith University, is a passionate advocate for health equity. As a culturally grounded leader, she demonstrates the highest standards of professionalism and ethical conduct. Ms O’Hara is a proud Gumbaynggirr woman whose journey through pharmacy is shaped by her connection to community, culture and care. Her commitment to improving health outcomes for rural and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is evident in every aspect of her academic, professional and personal life.
[post_title] => Five pharmacists celebrated for excellence in practice
[post_excerpt] => PSA presented its 2025 Queensland Excellence Awards in Brisbane last weekend, recognising pharmacists for excellence in pharmacy practice.
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[post_content] => AI is rapidly transforming healthcare practice, but how will it challenge pharmacists’ identities – which are closely tied to knowledge, intelligence and decision-making expertise?
As AI continues to transform the labour market, the education of pharmacists needs to change, said Dr Louise Schaper, an internationally renowned digital health leader and Fellow of both the International Academy of Health Sciences Informatics and the Australasian Institute of Digital Health.
‘I think many pharmacists believe they just have to learn how to use a new tool and work out how AI is involved in the standard workflow,’ she said. ‘But AI is not just about replacing tasks – it’s about redefining human roles. We need to move away from the focus of rote knowledge towards teaching pharmacists to be wise interpreters of AI who have the human skills to interact with patients and customers.’
Redefining value
Like doctors, pharmacists have traditionally defined their value through deep knowledge and precision, Dr Schaper said. ‘Their sense of identity is closely tied to being an authority on medications.’
[caption id="attachment_30763" align="aligncenter" width="600"]
Dr Louise Schaper at PSA25[/caption]
Pharmacists also feel responsible for supporting population health, especially through vaccination programs, harm minimisation services and medicines adherence support.
‘They feel quiet pride in being the unsung hero of the health system, working behind the scenes to prevent medication errors, counsel patients and collaborate with prescribers.’
But with OpenAI aiming for 1 billion users by year’s end, and ChatGPT generating information at speeds far beyond human capacity, these traditional values are under pressure.
‘Pharmacists don’t just practice the profession, they embody it,’ Dr Schaper said. ‘That’s why this disruption feels so personal.’
Building relationships and trust
While AI can process vast amounts of data, Dr Schaper stressed that it cannot deliver what patients most value: human empathy.
‘The opportunity for a pharmacist to be seen as more of a health partner is ripe. Skills such as empathy, ethical reasoning and nuanced clinical judgement will all become increasingly important,’ she said.
‘AI can crunch data, but it's artificial and synthetic. It can't build real touch, real trust, empathy or judgement. A machine can’t tell if it is dealing with a struggling single [parent], or an elderly person on a walker.’
‘The opportunity for a pharmacist to be seen as more of a health partner is ripe. Skills such as empathy, ethical reasoning and nuanced clinical judgement will all become increasingly important.'
Dr Louise Schaper
This, she argued, is where pharmacists must lean in. ‘Pharmacists need to focus on building relationships. Not only do they have years of knowledge and experience, but they can understand patients as human beings.’
For Dr Schaper, this human connection is irreplaceable. ‘AI may allow patients to get information, but they want to bring it to someone with years of knowledge and experience, who understands what they might be going through and who will help them navigate the information.’
Seasoned pharmacists also have an opportunity to guide early-career colleagues in developing critical relational skills, ensuring the profession remains indispensable in an AI-driven healthcare system, she added.
The march of AI
Dr Schaper’s research highlights how major players such as Amazon are disrupting pharmacy. A recent study published in JAMA showed that Amazon’s RxPass has improved medicines adherence and lowered costs. The program lists about 60 generic medicines available to Prime members for a $5 monthly fee. The tech giant is also testing a chatbot and mobile app called Health AI that can answer health and wellness questions, provide common care options and suggest products.
Dr Schaper said Amazon has already registered Amazon Pharmacy in Australia – ‘they did that years ago’.
Meanwhile tools such as ChatGPT are giving patients new ways to ‘Doctor Google’ medicines, while technology companies are developing Agentic AI – systems capable of autonomous action and decision-making with minimal human input. In the future, these tools could undertake treatment planning, remote monitoring, documentation checks and supply chain optimisation, Dr Schaper said.
Despite this, the keynote speaker at PSA25 in August believes pharmacists should stop worrying about being replaced and instead view AI as a co-pilot. She suggested starting to use AI through tools such as ChatGPT to become familiar with what it can do, and transition to using it to reduce the burden of administrative tasks so more time can be spent on customer and business development.
But, she cautioned: ‘This isn’t just about learning a new piece of kit. Pharmacists need to work out their own identity in that process and make it happen, supported by the PSA and education that delivers real-world experience.’
This moment is a reminder of what makes healthcare unique: connection and relationships, Dr Schaper said. ‘Pharmacy, too, has that added entrepreneurial spirit, with many pharmacists running small businesses and innovating to meet community needs. That mix of expertise is exactly what will help the profession adapt and thrive.’
Her message to pharmacists is clear: think about these changes now and make sure you’re ready to embrace them.
[post_title] => Redefining identity in the age of AI
[post_excerpt] => AI is transforming healthcare, but how will it challenge pharmacists’ identities, which are closely tied to intelligence and decision-making?
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[post_content] => The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) 2025 statement paints a mixed picture.
While Australia has made important gains with new vaccines and national immunisation reforms, rising cases of pertussis, measles and mpox reveal how fragile protection can be when coverage falters.
Australian Pharmacist explores where progress has been made and where urgent focus is required.
1. Vaccination rates are declining across the board
An ongoing decline in vaccination rates has been identified among all children, adolescents and adults. The steepest and most troubling drop is in childhood vaccination rates at 12 months of age – reducing 3.2 percentage points since 2020. Coverage for children aged 24 months has also dipped below 90% for the first time since 2016. Coverage at 60 months is the highest milestone (92.7%) – indicating that catch-up vaccination is occurring.
Adolescent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination rates are also on a downward trend, sitting well below the 90% target at 81.1% in females and 77.9% in males for at least one dose of the vaccine at 15 years of age. Concerningly, the rates are even lower among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, sitting at 76.7% in females and 69.2% in males.
Uptake of COVID-19 vaccines fell sharply in 2024 across all adult age groups, with only a fraction (2.3%) of younger adults aged 18 to <50 receiving at least one dose of the vaccine. Among those most vulnerable to severe complications, patients aged 75 and older, the vaccination rate dropped from 52.3% to 36.5%.
ATAGI will track declining coverage for selected vaccines to inform additional control strategies, and monitor the effects of schedule changes on coverage and disease – such as the shift to a 1-dose HPV schedule in 2023.
2. Australia’s RSV vaccination campaign is world leading
In 2024, Australia became the first country to put a combined maternal and infant respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) immunisation program in place. Pregnant women were given free access to Abrysvo under the National Immunisation Program (NIP)
from 28 weeks gestation ahead of the 2025 RSV season. Monoclonal antibody nirsevimab is funded for infants under various state and territory arrangements to ensure protection for at-risk infants and/or those whose mother did not receive the vaccine during pregnancy.
These arrangements include:
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[post_content] => PSA has announced it has signed an agreement to acquire the Australasian College of Pharmacy, marking a significant step for expanding education offerings and professional and practice support for members and the pharmacy profession.
PSA’s Board announced negotiations had successfully concluded. While there are still steps to be completed before the settlement, PSA is focused on how the acquisition will strengthen its leadership in education and training for pharmacists, pharmacy assistants, and technicians.
The acquisition allows PSA to grow its industry-leading education and workforce development programs. The PSA Board is confident this is the right path forward for PSA, its members and the broader profession.
National President and Chair of the PSA Board Associate Professor Fei Sim FPS said the agreement was a transformational opportunity for the future of pharmacy education.
‘This agreement is a major milestone in our journey to strengthen and unify pharmacy education in Australia,’ A/Prof Sim said.
‘As the custodian for standards and guidelines for professional practice, the acquisition of the College by the PSA is a further strategic step toward building scale, capability, and capacity for pharmacy education in Australia, amidst the fast-evolving practice landscape.
‘This agreement reflects our shared intent and commitment to invest in the future of the profession and ensure pharmacists, pharmacy assistants, and technicians are supported at every stage of their careers. The acquisition aligns with PSA’s broader strategy to support the profession through a period of significant transformation, including the expansion of scope of practice and increasing demands on the healthcare system.
‘This is about building a stronger, more sustainable future for pharmacy education, so we can do more for our members. As the peak body representing all pharmacists in Australia, PSA continues to represent pharmacists across the profession and their interests, while continuing our commitment to uphold and support high standards of practice.
‘We are proud to lead this work and look forward to continuing to support our members with the highest quality education and professional development.’
PSA will continue to engage with stakeholders throughout the transition process, with a focus on continuity, quality and innovation in education delivery.
[post_title] => PSA to lead unified future for pharmacy education
[post_excerpt] => PSA announced it has signed an agreement to acquire the Australasian College of Pharmacy, marking a significant step for expanding education.
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[post_content] => Serious adverse events in infants prompted the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) to issue a safety alert about prilocaine/lidocaine cream.
The anaesthetic cream, sold under the brand name Emla and various other generics, is typically used for topical anaesthesia of the skin before various minor procedures. It is commonly used prior to circumcision, insertion of catheters and vaccination.
What are the signs and symptoms of overdose?
Prilocaine/lidocaine overdose can lead to methaemoglobinaemia, disrupting haemoglobin’s capacity to carry oxygen. Common symptoms include:
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[post_content] => PSA presented its 2025 Queensland Excellence Awards in Brisbane over the weekend, recognising five outstanding pharmacists for their commitment to excellence in pharmacy practice.
PSA Queensland President Hannah Knowles MPS acknowledged the outstanding achievements of this year’s award winners and nominees, as well as the continued dedication of pharmacists practising throughout the state.
‘The amazing work pharmacists do in communities across Queensland every day is inspiring and it’s a great privilege to recognise them for what they do to advance the profession,’ she said.
‘On behalf of the PSA, I congratulate the outstanding pharmacists presented with awards and thank them for their commitment to bettering the health of Queenslanders.’
2025 PSA Queensland Pharmacist of the Year – Peter Fairgray MPS
As the Queensland lead for Men’s Health Downunder, pharmacy owner Mr Fairgray supports men in their recovery from prostate surgery, and assists those experiencing Peyronie’s disease, erectile dysfunction, or other conditions affecting the male anatomy.
As one of the first prescribing pharmacists, Mr Fairgray is passionate about safeguarding the public’s health and wellbeing. He is also a committed advocate for the profession, freely giving his time to train and energise fellow pharmacists.
Queensland Early Career Pharmacist of the Year – Gift Sailim MPS
Based in Far North Queensland, Ms Sailim is an accredited full-scope practitioner and forward-thinking innovator in compounding. She is a compassionate, community-focused pharmacist who elevates the profession.
Ms Phillips’ postgraduate research is focused on developing medicines for gestational diabetes, demonstrating her advocacy for safe, effective and equitable medicines use. As an accredited pharmacist, Ms Phillips also regularly liaises with rural and remote communities, improving care by providing medication reviews and collaborating with local clinicians.
Queensland Intern of the Year – Kaden Collier MPS
As a pharmacy intern, Mr Collier has shown exemplary commitment to patient care and medicines safety. Reducing jargon at every opportunity, he keeps medicines education accessible and relevant. Mr Collier strives to understand what’s important to patients and provides patient-centred care that aligns with their goals. When counselling patients, he uses educational resources, demonstrating evidence-based practice by explaining the rationale behind pharmacological and non-pharmacological forms of therapy.
Queensland Lifetime Achievement Award 2025 – Dr Danielle Stowasser MPS
Dr Stowasser has continuously advanced hospital pharmacy through innovation, leadership and tireless commitment. From pioneering safer transitions of care, to shaping national medicines safety and quality use of medicines initiatives, her impact extends across Australia. Dr Stowasser’s devotion, persistence, and vision exemplify the highest standards of the profession. Over her extensive career, Dr Stowasser has contributed to all six action items for change identified in PSA’s Pharmacists in 2030.
Professor James Dare Pharmacy Graduate of the Year – Tahlia O’Hara
Ms O’Hara, pharmacy student at Griffith University, is a passionate advocate for health equity. As a culturally grounded leader, she demonstrates the highest standards of professionalism and ethical conduct. Ms O’Hara is a proud Gumbaynggirr woman whose journey through pharmacy is shaped by her connection to community, culture and care. Her commitment to improving health outcomes for rural and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is evident in every aspect of her academic, professional and personal life.
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[post_content] => AI is rapidly transforming healthcare practice, but how will it challenge pharmacists’ identities – which are closely tied to knowledge, intelligence and decision-making expertise?
As AI continues to transform the labour market, the education of pharmacists needs to change, said Dr Louise Schaper, an internationally renowned digital health leader and Fellow of both the International Academy of Health Sciences Informatics and the Australasian Institute of Digital Health.
‘I think many pharmacists believe they just have to learn how to use a new tool and work out how AI is involved in the standard workflow,’ she said. ‘But AI is not just about replacing tasks – it’s about redefining human roles. We need to move away from the focus of rote knowledge towards teaching pharmacists to be wise interpreters of AI who have the human skills to interact with patients and customers.’
Redefining value
Like doctors, pharmacists have traditionally defined their value through deep knowledge and precision, Dr Schaper said. ‘Their sense of identity is closely tied to being an authority on medications.’
[caption id="attachment_30763" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Dr Louise Schaper at PSA25[/caption]
Pharmacists also feel responsible for supporting population health, especially through vaccination programs, harm minimisation services and medicines adherence support.
‘They feel quiet pride in being the unsung hero of the health system, working behind the scenes to prevent medication errors, counsel patients and collaborate with prescribers.’
But with OpenAI aiming for 1 billion users by year’s end, and ChatGPT generating information at speeds far beyond human capacity, these traditional values are under pressure.
‘Pharmacists don’t just practice the profession, they embody it,’ Dr Schaper said. ‘That’s why this disruption feels so personal.’
Building relationships and trust
While AI can process vast amounts of data, Dr Schaper stressed that it cannot deliver what patients most value: human empathy.
‘The opportunity for a pharmacist to be seen as more of a health partner is ripe. Skills such as empathy, ethical reasoning and nuanced clinical judgement will all become increasingly important,’ she said.
‘AI can crunch data, but it's artificial and synthetic. It can't build real touch, real trust, empathy or judgement. A machine can’t tell if it is dealing with a struggling single [parent], or an elderly person on a walker.’
‘The opportunity for a pharmacist to be seen as more of a health partner is ripe. Skills such as empathy, ethical reasoning and nuanced clinical judgement will all become increasingly important.'
Dr Louise Schaper
This, she argued, is where pharmacists must lean in. ‘Pharmacists need to focus on building relationships. Not only do they have years of knowledge and experience, but they can understand patients as human beings.’
For Dr Schaper, this human connection is irreplaceable. ‘AI may allow patients to get information, but they want to bring it to someone with years of knowledge and experience, who understands what they might be going through and who will help them navigate the information.’
Seasoned pharmacists also have an opportunity to guide early-career colleagues in developing critical relational skills, ensuring the profession remains indispensable in an AI-driven healthcare system, she added.
The march of AI
Dr Schaper’s research highlights how major players such as Amazon are disrupting pharmacy. A recent study published in JAMA showed that Amazon’s RxPass has improved medicines adherence and lowered costs. The program lists about 60 generic medicines available to Prime members for a $5 monthly fee. The tech giant is also testing a chatbot and mobile app called Health AI that can answer health and wellness questions, provide common care options and suggest products.
Dr Schaper said Amazon has already registered Amazon Pharmacy in Australia – ‘they did that years ago’.
Meanwhile tools such as ChatGPT are giving patients new ways to ‘Doctor Google’ medicines, while technology companies are developing Agentic AI – systems capable of autonomous action and decision-making with minimal human input. In the future, these tools could undertake treatment planning, remote monitoring, documentation checks and supply chain optimisation, Dr Schaper said.
Despite this, the keynote speaker at PSA25 in August believes pharmacists should stop worrying about being replaced and instead view AI as a co-pilot. She suggested starting to use AI through tools such as ChatGPT to become familiar with what it can do, and transition to using it to reduce the burden of administrative tasks so more time can be spent on customer and business development.
But, she cautioned: ‘This isn’t just about learning a new piece of kit. Pharmacists need to work out their own identity in that process and make it happen, supported by the PSA and education that delivers real-world experience.’
This moment is a reminder of what makes healthcare unique: connection and relationships, Dr Schaper said. ‘Pharmacy, too, has that added entrepreneurial spirit, with many pharmacists running small businesses and innovating to meet community needs. That mix of expertise is exactly what will help the profession adapt and thrive.’
Her message to pharmacists is clear: think about these changes now and make sure you’re ready to embrace them.
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[post_content] => The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) 2025 statement paints a mixed picture.
While Australia has made important gains with new vaccines and national immunisation reforms, rising cases of pertussis, measles and mpox reveal how fragile protection can be when coverage falters.
Australian Pharmacist explores where progress has been made and where urgent focus is required.
1. Vaccination rates are declining across the board
An ongoing decline in vaccination rates has been identified among all children, adolescents and adults. The steepest and most troubling drop is in childhood vaccination rates at 12 months of age – reducing 3.2 percentage points since 2020. Coverage for children aged 24 months has also dipped below 90% for the first time since 2016. Coverage at 60 months is the highest milestone (92.7%) – indicating that catch-up vaccination is occurring.
Adolescent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination rates are also on a downward trend, sitting well below the 90% target at 81.1% in females and 77.9% in males for at least one dose of the vaccine at 15 years of age. Concerningly, the rates are even lower among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, sitting at 76.7% in females and 69.2% in males.
Uptake of COVID-19 vaccines fell sharply in 2024 across all adult age groups, with only a fraction (2.3%) of younger adults aged 18 to <50 receiving at least one dose of the vaccine. Among those most vulnerable to severe complications, patients aged 75 and older, the vaccination rate dropped from 52.3% to 36.5%.
ATAGI will track declining coverage for selected vaccines to inform additional control strategies, and monitor the effects of schedule changes on coverage and disease – such as the shift to a 1-dose HPV schedule in 2023.
2. Australia’s RSV vaccination campaign is world leading
In 2024, Australia became the first country to put a combined maternal and infant respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) immunisation program in place. Pregnant women were given free access to Abrysvo under the National Immunisation Program (NIP)
from 28 weeks gestation ahead of the 2025 RSV season. Monoclonal antibody nirsevimab is funded for infants under various state and territory arrangements to ensure protection for at-risk infants and/or those whose mother did not receive the vaccine during pregnancy.
These arrangements include:
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[post_content] => PSA has announced it has signed an agreement to acquire the Australasian College of Pharmacy, marking a significant step for expanding education offerings and professional and practice support for members and the pharmacy profession.
PSA’s Board announced negotiations had successfully concluded. While there are still steps to be completed before the settlement, PSA is focused on how the acquisition will strengthen its leadership in education and training for pharmacists, pharmacy assistants, and technicians.
The acquisition allows PSA to grow its industry-leading education and workforce development programs. The PSA Board is confident this is the right path forward for PSA, its members and the broader profession.
National President and Chair of the PSA Board Associate Professor Fei Sim FPS said the agreement was a transformational opportunity for the future of pharmacy education.
‘This agreement is a major milestone in our journey to strengthen and unify pharmacy education in Australia,’ A/Prof Sim said.
‘As the custodian for standards and guidelines for professional practice, the acquisition of the College by the PSA is a further strategic step toward building scale, capability, and capacity for pharmacy education in Australia, amidst the fast-evolving practice landscape.
‘This agreement reflects our shared intent and commitment to invest in the future of the profession and ensure pharmacists, pharmacy assistants, and technicians are supported at every stage of their careers. The acquisition aligns with PSA’s broader strategy to support the profession through a period of significant transformation, including the expansion of scope of practice and increasing demands on the healthcare system.
‘This is about building a stronger, more sustainable future for pharmacy education, so we can do more for our members. As the peak body representing all pharmacists in Australia, PSA continues to represent pharmacists across the profession and their interests, while continuing our commitment to uphold and support high standards of practice.
‘We are proud to lead this work and look forward to continuing to support our members with the highest quality education and professional development.’
PSA will continue to engage with stakeholders throughout the transition process, with a focus on continuity, quality and innovation in education delivery.
[post_title] => PSA to lead unified future for pharmacy education
[post_excerpt] => PSA announced it has signed an agreement to acquire the Australasian College of Pharmacy, marking a significant step for expanding education.
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[post_content] => Serious adverse events in infants prompted the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) to issue a safety alert about prilocaine/lidocaine cream.
The anaesthetic cream, sold under the brand name Emla and various other generics, is typically used for topical anaesthesia of the skin before various minor procedures. It is commonly used prior to circumcision, insertion of catheters and vaccination.
What are the signs and symptoms of overdose?
Prilocaine/lidocaine overdose can lead to methaemoglobinaemia, disrupting haemoglobin’s capacity to carry oxygen. Common symptoms include:
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[post_content] => PSA presented its 2025 Queensland Excellence Awards in Brisbane over the weekend, recognising five outstanding pharmacists for their commitment to excellence in pharmacy practice.
PSA Queensland President Hannah Knowles MPS acknowledged the outstanding achievements of this year’s award winners and nominees, as well as the continued dedication of pharmacists practising throughout the state.
‘The amazing work pharmacists do in communities across Queensland every day is inspiring and it’s a great privilege to recognise them for what they do to advance the profession,’ she said.
‘On behalf of the PSA, I congratulate the outstanding pharmacists presented with awards and thank them for their commitment to bettering the health of Queenslanders.’
2025 PSA Queensland Pharmacist of the Year – Peter Fairgray MPS
As the Queensland lead for Men’s Health Downunder, pharmacy owner Mr Fairgray supports men in their recovery from prostate surgery, and assists those experiencing Peyronie’s disease, erectile dysfunction, or other conditions affecting the male anatomy.
As one of the first prescribing pharmacists, Mr Fairgray is passionate about safeguarding the public’s health and wellbeing. He is also a committed advocate for the profession, freely giving his time to train and energise fellow pharmacists.
Queensland Early Career Pharmacist of the Year – Gift Sailim MPS
Based in Far North Queensland, Ms Sailim is an accredited full-scope practitioner and forward-thinking innovator in compounding. She is a compassionate, community-focused pharmacist who elevates the profession.
Ms Phillips’ postgraduate research is focused on developing medicines for gestational diabetes, demonstrating her advocacy for safe, effective and equitable medicines use. As an accredited pharmacist, Ms Phillips also regularly liaises with rural and remote communities, improving care by providing medication reviews and collaborating with local clinicians.
Queensland Intern of the Year – Kaden Collier MPS
As a pharmacy intern, Mr Collier has shown exemplary commitment to patient care and medicines safety. Reducing jargon at every opportunity, he keeps medicines education accessible and relevant. Mr Collier strives to understand what’s important to patients and provides patient-centred care that aligns with their goals. When counselling patients, he uses educational resources, demonstrating evidence-based practice by explaining the rationale behind pharmacological and non-pharmacological forms of therapy.
Queensland Lifetime Achievement Award 2025 – Dr Danielle Stowasser MPS
Dr Stowasser has continuously advanced hospital pharmacy through innovation, leadership and tireless commitment. From pioneering safer transitions of care, to shaping national medicines safety and quality use of medicines initiatives, her impact extends across Australia. Dr Stowasser’s devotion, persistence, and vision exemplify the highest standards of the profession. Over her extensive career, Dr Stowasser has contributed to all six action items for change identified in PSA’s Pharmacists in 2030.
Professor James Dare Pharmacy Graduate of the Year – Tahlia O’Hara
Ms O’Hara, pharmacy student at Griffith University, is a passionate advocate for health equity. As a culturally grounded leader, she demonstrates the highest standards of professionalism and ethical conduct. Ms O’Hara is a proud Gumbaynggirr woman whose journey through pharmacy is shaped by her connection to community, culture and care. Her commitment to improving health outcomes for rural and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is evident in every aspect of her academic, professional and personal life.
[post_title] => Five pharmacists celebrated for excellence in practice
[post_excerpt] => PSA presented its 2025 Queensland Excellence Awards in Brisbane last weekend, recognising pharmacists for excellence in pharmacy practice.
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[post_content] => AI is rapidly transforming healthcare practice, but how will it challenge pharmacists’ identities – which are closely tied to knowledge, intelligence and decision-making expertise?
As AI continues to transform the labour market, the education of pharmacists needs to change, said Dr Louise Schaper, an internationally renowned digital health leader and Fellow of both the International Academy of Health Sciences Informatics and the Australasian Institute of Digital Health.
‘I think many pharmacists believe they just have to learn how to use a new tool and work out how AI is involved in the standard workflow,’ she said. ‘But AI is not just about replacing tasks – it’s about redefining human roles. We need to move away from the focus of rote knowledge towards teaching pharmacists to be wise interpreters of AI who have the human skills to interact with patients and customers.’
Redefining value
Like doctors, pharmacists have traditionally defined their value through deep knowledge and precision, Dr Schaper said. ‘Their sense of identity is closely tied to being an authority on medications.’
[caption id="attachment_30763" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Dr Louise Schaper at PSA25[/caption]
Pharmacists also feel responsible for supporting population health, especially through vaccination programs, harm minimisation services and medicines adherence support.
‘They feel quiet pride in being the unsung hero of the health system, working behind the scenes to prevent medication errors, counsel patients and collaborate with prescribers.’
But with OpenAI aiming for 1 billion users by year’s end, and ChatGPT generating information at speeds far beyond human capacity, these traditional values are under pressure.
‘Pharmacists don’t just practice the profession, they embody it,’ Dr Schaper said. ‘That’s why this disruption feels so personal.’
Building relationships and trust
While AI can process vast amounts of data, Dr Schaper stressed that it cannot deliver what patients most value: human empathy.
‘The opportunity for a pharmacist to be seen as more of a health partner is ripe. Skills such as empathy, ethical reasoning and nuanced clinical judgement will all become increasingly important,’ she said.
‘AI can crunch data, but it's artificial and synthetic. It can't build real touch, real trust, empathy or judgement. A machine can’t tell if it is dealing with a struggling single [parent], or an elderly person on a walker.’
‘The opportunity for a pharmacist to be seen as more of a health partner is ripe. Skills such as empathy, ethical reasoning and nuanced clinical judgement will all become increasingly important.'
Dr Louise Schaper
This, she argued, is where pharmacists must lean in. ‘Pharmacists need to focus on building relationships. Not only do they have years of knowledge and experience, but they can understand patients as human beings.’
For Dr Schaper, this human connection is irreplaceable. ‘AI may allow patients to get information, but they want to bring it to someone with years of knowledge and experience, who understands what they might be going through and who will help them navigate the information.’
Seasoned pharmacists also have an opportunity to guide early-career colleagues in developing critical relational skills, ensuring the profession remains indispensable in an AI-driven healthcare system, she added.
The march of AI
Dr Schaper’s research highlights how major players such as Amazon are disrupting pharmacy. A recent study published in JAMA showed that Amazon’s RxPass has improved medicines adherence and lowered costs. The program lists about 60 generic medicines available to Prime members for a $5 monthly fee. The tech giant is also testing a chatbot and mobile app called Health AI that can answer health and wellness questions, provide common care options and suggest products.
Dr Schaper said Amazon has already registered Amazon Pharmacy in Australia – ‘they did that years ago’.
Meanwhile tools such as ChatGPT are giving patients new ways to ‘Doctor Google’ medicines, while technology companies are developing Agentic AI – systems capable of autonomous action and decision-making with minimal human input. In the future, these tools could undertake treatment planning, remote monitoring, documentation checks and supply chain optimisation, Dr Schaper said.
Despite this, the keynote speaker at PSA25 in August believes pharmacists should stop worrying about being replaced and instead view AI as a co-pilot. She suggested starting to use AI through tools such as ChatGPT to become familiar with what it can do, and transition to using it to reduce the burden of administrative tasks so more time can be spent on customer and business development.
But, she cautioned: ‘This isn’t just about learning a new piece of kit. Pharmacists need to work out their own identity in that process and make it happen, supported by the PSA and education that delivers real-world experience.’
This moment is a reminder of what makes healthcare unique: connection and relationships, Dr Schaper said. ‘Pharmacy, too, has that added entrepreneurial spirit, with many pharmacists running small businesses and innovating to meet community needs. That mix of expertise is exactly what will help the profession adapt and thrive.’
Her message to pharmacists is clear: think about these changes now and make sure you’re ready to embrace them.
[post_title] => Redefining identity in the age of AI
[post_excerpt] => AI is transforming healthcare, but how will it challenge pharmacists’ identities, which are closely tied to intelligence and decision-making?
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[post_content] => The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) 2025 statement paints a mixed picture.
While Australia has made important gains with new vaccines and national immunisation reforms, rising cases of pertussis, measles and mpox reveal how fragile protection can be when coverage falters.
Australian Pharmacist explores where progress has been made and where urgent focus is required.
1. Vaccination rates are declining across the board
An ongoing decline in vaccination rates has been identified among all children, adolescents and adults. The steepest and most troubling drop is in childhood vaccination rates at 12 months of age – reducing 3.2 percentage points since 2020. Coverage for children aged 24 months has also dipped below 90% for the first time since 2016. Coverage at 60 months is the highest milestone (92.7%) – indicating that catch-up vaccination is occurring.
Adolescent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination rates are also on a downward trend, sitting well below the 90% target at 81.1% in females and 77.9% in males for at least one dose of the vaccine at 15 years of age. Concerningly, the rates are even lower among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, sitting at 76.7% in females and 69.2% in males.
Uptake of COVID-19 vaccines fell sharply in 2024 across all adult age groups, with only a fraction (2.3%) of younger adults aged 18 to <50 receiving at least one dose of the vaccine. Among those most vulnerable to severe complications, patients aged 75 and older, the vaccination rate dropped from 52.3% to 36.5%.
ATAGI will track declining coverage for selected vaccines to inform additional control strategies, and monitor the effects of schedule changes on coverage and disease – such as the shift to a 1-dose HPV schedule in 2023.
2. Australia’s RSV vaccination campaign is world leading
In 2024, Australia became the first country to put a combined maternal and infant respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) immunisation program in place. Pregnant women were given free access to Abrysvo under the National Immunisation Program (NIP)
from 28 weeks gestation ahead of the 2025 RSV season. Monoclonal antibody nirsevimab is funded for infants under various state and territory arrangements to ensure protection for at-risk infants and/or those whose mother did not receive the vaccine during pregnancy.
These arrangements include:
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[post_content] => PSA has announced it has signed an agreement to acquire the Australasian College of Pharmacy, marking a significant step for expanding education offerings and professional and practice support for members and the pharmacy profession.
PSA’s Board announced negotiations had successfully concluded. While there are still steps to be completed before the settlement, PSA is focused on how the acquisition will strengthen its leadership in education and training for pharmacists, pharmacy assistants, and technicians.
The acquisition allows PSA to grow its industry-leading education and workforce development programs. The PSA Board is confident this is the right path forward for PSA, its members and the broader profession.
National President and Chair of the PSA Board Associate Professor Fei Sim FPS said the agreement was a transformational opportunity for the future of pharmacy education.
‘This agreement is a major milestone in our journey to strengthen and unify pharmacy education in Australia,’ A/Prof Sim said.
‘As the custodian for standards and guidelines for professional practice, the acquisition of the College by the PSA is a further strategic step toward building scale, capability, and capacity for pharmacy education in Australia, amidst the fast-evolving practice landscape.
‘This agreement reflects our shared intent and commitment to invest in the future of the profession and ensure pharmacists, pharmacy assistants, and technicians are supported at every stage of their careers. The acquisition aligns with PSA’s broader strategy to support the profession through a period of significant transformation, including the expansion of scope of practice and increasing demands on the healthcare system.
‘This is about building a stronger, more sustainable future for pharmacy education, so we can do more for our members. As the peak body representing all pharmacists in Australia, PSA continues to represent pharmacists across the profession and their interests, while continuing our commitment to uphold and support high standards of practice.
‘We are proud to lead this work and look forward to continuing to support our members with the highest quality education and professional development.’
PSA will continue to engage with stakeholders throughout the transition process, with a focus on continuity, quality and innovation in education delivery.
[post_title] => PSA to lead unified future for pharmacy education
[post_excerpt] => PSA announced it has signed an agreement to acquire the Australasian College of Pharmacy, marking a significant step for expanding education.
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[post_content] => Serious adverse events in infants prompted the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) to issue a safety alert about prilocaine/lidocaine cream.
The anaesthetic cream, sold under the brand name Emla and various other generics, is typically used for topical anaesthesia of the skin before various minor procedures. It is commonly used prior to circumcision, insertion of catheters and vaccination.
What are the signs and symptoms of overdose?
Prilocaine/lidocaine overdose can lead to methaemoglobinaemia, disrupting haemoglobin’s capacity to carry oxygen. Common symptoms include:
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[post_content] => PSA presented its 2025 Queensland Excellence Awards in Brisbane over the weekend, recognising five outstanding pharmacists for their commitment to excellence in pharmacy practice.
PSA Queensland President Hannah Knowles MPS acknowledged the outstanding achievements of this year’s award winners and nominees, as well as the continued dedication of pharmacists practising throughout the state.
‘The amazing work pharmacists do in communities across Queensland every day is inspiring and it’s a great privilege to recognise them for what they do to advance the profession,’ she said.
‘On behalf of the PSA, I congratulate the outstanding pharmacists presented with awards and thank them for their commitment to bettering the health of Queenslanders.’
2025 PSA Queensland Pharmacist of the Year – Peter Fairgray MPS
As the Queensland lead for Men’s Health Downunder, pharmacy owner Mr Fairgray supports men in their recovery from prostate surgery, and assists those experiencing Peyronie’s disease, erectile dysfunction, or other conditions affecting the male anatomy.
As one of the first prescribing pharmacists, Mr Fairgray is passionate about safeguarding the public’s health and wellbeing. He is also a committed advocate for the profession, freely giving his time to train and energise fellow pharmacists.
Queensland Early Career Pharmacist of the Year – Gift Sailim MPS
Based in Far North Queensland, Ms Sailim is an accredited full-scope practitioner and forward-thinking innovator in compounding. She is a compassionate, community-focused pharmacist who elevates the profession.
Ms Phillips’ postgraduate research is focused on developing medicines for gestational diabetes, demonstrating her advocacy for safe, effective and equitable medicines use. As an accredited pharmacist, Ms Phillips also regularly liaises with rural and remote communities, improving care by providing medication reviews and collaborating with local clinicians.
Queensland Intern of the Year – Kaden Collier MPS
As a pharmacy intern, Mr Collier has shown exemplary commitment to patient care and medicines safety. Reducing jargon at every opportunity, he keeps medicines education accessible and relevant. Mr Collier strives to understand what’s important to patients and provides patient-centred care that aligns with their goals. When counselling patients, he uses educational resources, demonstrating evidence-based practice by explaining the rationale behind pharmacological and non-pharmacological forms of therapy.
Queensland Lifetime Achievement Award 2025 – Dr Danielle Stowasser MPS
Dr Stowasser has continuously advanced hospital pharmacy through innovation, leadership and tireless commitment. From pioneering safer transitions of care, to shaping national medicines safety and quality use of medicines initiatives, her impact extends across Australia. Dr Stowasser’s devotion, persistence, and vision exemplify the highest standards of the profession. Over her extensive career, Dr Stowasser has contributed to all six action items for change identified in PSA’s Pharmacists in 2030.
Professor James Dare Pharmacy Graduate of the Year – Tahlia O’Hara
Ms O’Hara, pharmacy student at Griffith University, is a passionate advocate for health equity. As a culturally grounded leader, she demonstrates the highest standards of professionalism and ethical conduct. Ms O’Hara is a proud Gumbaynggirr woman whose journey through pharmacy is shaped by her connection to community, culture and care. Her commitment to improving health outcomes for rural and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is evident in every aspect of her academic, professional and personal life.
[post_title] => Five pharmacists celebrated for excellence in practice
[post_excerpt] => PSA presented its 2025 Queensland Excellence Awards in Brisbane last weekend, recognising pharmacists for excellence in pharmacy practice.
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[post_content] => AI is rapidly transforming healthcare practice, but how will it challenge pharmacists’ identities – which are closely tied to knowledge, intelligence and decision-making expertise?
As AI continues to transform the labour market, the education of pharmacists needs to change, said Dr Louise Schaper, an internationally renowned digital health leader and Fellow of both the International Academy of Health Sciences Informatics and the Australasian Institute of Digital Health.
‘I think many pharmacists believe they just have to learn how to use a new tool and work out how AI is involved in the standard workflow,’ she said. ‘But AI is not just about replacing tasks – it’s about redefining human roles. We need to move away from the focus of rote knowledge towards teaching pharmacists to be wise interpreters of AI who have the human skills to interact with patients and customers.’
Redefining value
Like doctors, pharmacists have traditionally defined their value through deep knowledge and precision, Dr Schaper said. ‘Their sense of identity is closely tied to being an authority on medications.’
[caption id="attachment_30763" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Dr Louise Schaper at PSA25[/caption]
Pharmacists also feel responsible for supporting population health, especially through vaccination programs, harm minimisation services and medicines adherence support.
‘They feel quiet pride in being the unsung hero of the health system, working behind the scenes to prevent medication errors, counsel patients and collaborate with prescribers.’
But with OpenAI aiming for 1 billion users by year’s end, and ChatGPT generating information at speeds far beyond human capacity, these traditional values are under pressure.
‘Pharmacists don’t just practice the profession, they embody it,’ Dr Schaper said. ‘That’s why this disruption feels so personal.’
Building relationships and trust
While AI can process vast amounts of data, Dr Schaper stressed that it cannot deliver what patients most value: human empathy.
‘The opportunity for a pharmacist to be seen as more of a health partner is ripe. Skills such as empathy, ethical reasoning and nuanced clinical judgement will all become increasingly important,’ she said.
‘AI can crunch data, but it's artificial and synthetic. It can't build real touch, real trust, empathy or judgement. A machine can’t tell if it is dealing with a struggling single [parent], or an elderly person on a walker.’
‘The opportunity for a pharmacist to be seen as more of a health partner is ripe. Skills such as empathy, ethical reasoning and nuanced clinical judgement will all become increasingly important.'
Dr Louise Schaper
This, she argued, is where pharmacists must lean in. ‘Pharmacists need to focus on building relationships. Not only do they have years of knowledge and experience, but they can understand patients as human beings.’
For Dr Schaper, this human connection is irreplaceable. ‘AI may allow patients to get information, but they want to bring it to someone with years of knowledge and experience, who understands what they might be going through and who will help them navigate the information.’
Seasoned pharmacists also have an opportunity to guide early-career colleagues in developing critical relational skills, ensuring the profession remains indispensable in an AI-driven healthcare system, she added.
The march of AI
Dr Schaper’s research highlights how major players such as Amazon are disrupting pharmacy. A recent study published in JAMA showed that Amazon’s RxPass has improved medicines adherence and lowered costs. The program lists about 60 generic medicines available to Prime members for a $5 monthly fee. The tech giant is also testing a chatbot and mobile app called Health AI that can answer health and wellness questions, provide common care options and suggest products.
Dr Schaper said Amazon has already registered Amazon Pharmacy in Australia – ‘they did that years ago’.
Meanwhile tools such as ChatGPT are giving patients new ways to ‘Doctor Google’ medicines, while technology companies are developing Agentic AI – systems capable of autonomous action and decision-making with minimal human input. In the future, these tools could undertake treatment planning, remote monitoring, documentation checks and supply chain optimisation, Dr Schaper said.
Despite this, the keynote speaker at PSA25 in August believes pharmacists should stop worrying about being replaced and instead view AI as a co-pilot. She suggested starting to use AI through tools such as ChatGPT to become familiar with what it can do, and transition to using it to reduce the burden of administrative tasks so more time can be spent on customer and business development.
But, she cautioned: ‘This isn’t just about learning a new piece of kit. Pharmacists need to work out their own identity in that process and make it happen, supported by the PSA and education that delivers real-world experience.’
This moment is a reminder of what makes healthcare unique: connection and relationships, Dr Schaper said. ‘Pharmacy, too, has that added entrepreneurial spirit, with many pharmacists running small businesses and innovating to meet community needs. That mix of expertise is exactly what will help the profession adapt and thrive.’
Her message to pharmacists is clear: think about these changes now and make sure you’re ready to embrace them.
[post_title] => Redefining identity in the age of AI
[post_excerpt] => AI is transforming healthcare, but how will it challenge pharmacists’ identities, which are closely tied to intelligence and decision-making?
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[post_date] => 2025-10-20 14:29:12
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[post_content] => The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) 2025 statement paints a mixed picture.
While Australia has made important gains with new vaccines and national immunisation reforms, rising cases of pertussis, measles and mpox reveal how fragile protection can be when coverage falters.
Australian Pharmacist explores where progress has been made and where urgent focus is required.
1. Vaccination rates are declining across the board
An ongoing decline in vaccination rates has been identified among all children, adolescents and adults. The steepest and most troubling drop is in childhood vaccination rates at 12 months of age – reducing 3.2 percentage points since 2020. Coverage for children aged 24 months has also dipped below 90% for the first time since 2016. Coverage at 60 months is the highest milestone (92.7%) – indicating that catch-up vaccination is occurring.
Adolescent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination rates are also on a downward trend, sitting well below the 90% target at 81.1% in females and 77.9% in males for at least one dose of the vaccine at 15 years of age. Concerningly, the rates are even lower among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, sitting at 76.7% in females and 69.2% in males.
Uptake of COVID-19 vaccines fell sharply in 2024 across all adult age groups, with only a fraction (2.3%) of younger adults aged 18 to <50 receiving at least one dose of the vaccine. Among those most vulnerable to severe complications, patients aged 75 and older, the vaccination rate dropped from 52.3% to 36.5%.
ATAGI will track declining coverage for selected vaccines to inform additional control strategies, and monitor the effects of schedule changes on coverage and disease – such as the shift to a 1-dose HPV schedule in 2023.
2. Australia’s RSV vaccination campaign is world leading
In 2024, Australia became the first country to put a combined maternal and infant respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) immunisation program in place. Pregnant women were given free access to Abrysvo under the National Immunisation Program (NIP)
from 28 weeks gestation ahead of the 2025 RSV season. Monoclonal antibody nirsevimab is funded for infants under various state and territory arrangements to ensure protection for at-risk infants and/or those whose mother did not receive the vaccine during pregnancy.
These arrangements include:
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[post_date] => 2025-10-20 14:14:35
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[post_content] => PSA has announced it has signed an agreement to acquire the Australasian College of Pharmacy, marking a significant step for expanding education offerings and professional and practice support for members and the pharmacy profession.
PSA’s Board announced negotiations had successfully concluded. While there are still steps to be completed before the settlement, PSA is focused on how the acquisition will strengthen its leadership in education and training for pharmacists, pharmacy assistants, and technicians.
The acquisition allows PSA to grow its industry-leading education and workforce development programs. The PSA Board is confident this is the right path forward for PSA, its members and the broader profession.
National President and Chair of the PSA Board Associate Professor Fei Sim FPS said the agreement was a transformational opportunity for the future of pharmacy education.
‘This agreement is a major milestone in our journey to strengthen and unify pharmacy education in Australia,’ A/Prof Sim said.
‘As the custodian for standards and guidelines for professional practice, the acquisition of the College by the PSA is a further strategic step toward building scale, capability, and capacity for pharmacy education in Australia, amidst the fast-evolving practice landscape.
‘This agreement reflects our shared intent and commitment to invest in the future of the profession and ensure pharmacists, pharmacy assistants, and technicians are supported at every stage of their careers. The acquisition aligns with PSA’s broader strategy to support the profession through a period of significant transformation, including the expansion of scope of practice and increasing demands on the healthcare system.
‘This is about building a stronger, more sustainable future for pharmacy education, so we can do more for our members. As the peak body representing all pharmacists in Australia, PSA continues to represent pharmacists across the profession and their interests, while continuing our commitment to uphold and support high standards of practice.
‘We are proud to lead this work and look forward to continuing to support our members with the highest quality education and professional development.’
PSA will continue to engage with stakeholders throughout the transition process, with a focus on continuity, quality and innovation in education delivery.
[post_title] => PSA to lead unified future for pharmacy education
[post_excerpt] => PSA announced it has signed an agreement to acquire the Australasian College of Pharmacy, marking a significant step for expanding education.
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[post_content] => Serious adverse events in infants prompted the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) to issue a safety alert about prilocaine/lidocaine cream.
The anaesthetic cream, sold under the brand name Emla and various other generics, is typically used for topical anaesthesia of the skin before various minor procedures. It is commonly used prior to circumcision, insertion of catheters and vaccination.
What are the signs and symptoms of overdose?
Prilocaine/lidocaine overdose can lead to methaemoglobinaemia, disrupting haemoglobin’s capacity to carry oxygen. Common symptoms include:
Sorry, this content is only available to users that the PSA have verified as healthcare professionals. To learn more, talk to a PSA membership consultant.
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Australian Pharmacist is the official journal for Pharmaceutical Society of Australia Ltd.
