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[post_content] => PSA announced the winners of the PSA New South Wales Excellence Awards at the Annual Therapeutic Update over the weekend, recognising outstanding pharmacists who have demonstrated excellence in their practice and dedication to improving healthcare outcomes for their communities.
PSA NSW President Luke Kelly congratulated each of the award recipients, highlighting their dedication to the pharmacy profession and improving patient care.
‘Each of these award winners has demonstrated exceptional leadership, dedication, and passion for improving health outcomes in their communities. Their contributions to the profession exemplify some of the best of pharmacy in NSW,’ he said.
‘Their dedication and leadership inspire the entire profession, and we are proud to celebrate their achievements.’
Australian Pharmacist takes a look at the achievements of this year’s winning cohort.
Pharmacist of the Year – Ammar Altayib MPS
Now a PhD candidate, former Sudanese refugee and NSW Pharmacist of the Year Ammar Altayib has been a clinical pharmacist for the past 7 years and has been nominated twice in recent years for patient safety awards for the Southern NSW Local Health District.
With numerous academic qualifications including a Masters in Pharmacy, the father of four, in addition to his hospital role, also works on Saturdays at Queanbeyan Pharmacy, teaches Arabic and is a leader in his local community. While nominated for the AdPha Clinical Pharmacy Award last year, he instead took out the African Australian Inc Academic and Professional Excellence Award.
Lifetime Achievement Award – David North OAM MPS
David North OAM has been awarded the PSA NSW Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his 5 decades of outstanding service to pharmacy and the Illawarra community. His career has spanned community pharmacy ownership, hospital pharmacy leadership, and significant contributions to professional development and mentorship.
David has played a key role in numerous community health initiatives, including projects on palliative care medication access, smoking cessation, asthma management, and opioid safety. His dedication to promoting medication safety and pharmacy’s role in public health has had a lasting impact.
A PSA Life Member and long-time advocate for the profession, David has also served as a peer reviewer, mentor, and board member of the Pharmacists Support Service. His leadership, commitment to patient care, and advocacy have left a profound legacy, making him a truly deserving recipient of this award.
Early Career Pharmacist of the Year – Lily Pham MPS
NSW Early Career Pharmacist of the Year Lily Pham has quickly established herself as a leader in pharmacy. As Vice President of the PSA NSW Branch Committee, she has played a key role in policy submissions, stakeholder engagement, and expanding pharmacists’ scope of practice, particularly in mental health. She has presented at PSA events, met with politicians, and contributed to PSA’s Medicine Safety: Mental Health report.
Lily is also undertaking a PhD at the University of Sydney, focusing on perinatal mental healthcare and the role of pharmacists in mental health screening. She works across hospital, community, and primary care settings, ensuring broad patient impact. A dedicated mentor, she supports early career pharmacists and leads professional development initiatives. Her commitment to patient care, research, and professional engagement makes her a deserving recipient of this award.
Intern of the Year – Peter Figliuzzi
NSW Intern of the Year Peter Figliuzzi is recognised for his leadership, initiative, and commitment to patient care. During his intern year, Peter developed a hospital discharge medication management system to ensure patients understood medication changes, reducing confusion and enhancing adherence. His proactive engagement with Veteran patients improved health outcomes through tailored MedsChecks and stronger patient-provider relationships.
Additionally, he streamlined vaccination services by creating a patient recall system, improving vaccination rates in his community. Peter’s continued dedication to patient safety, quality use of medicines, and professional collaboration makes him a deserving recipient of this award.
[post_title] => PSA NSW Excellence Award winners announced
[post_excerpt] => Four exemplary pharmacists were celebrated for their leadership, community impact, and commitment to health innovation.
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[post_content] => The semaglutide crisis is reportedly over in the United States. Will Australia's stock soon be replenished?
Ozempic has been on the market since 2017. But a 2021 clinical trial, linking Ozempic to significant weight loss, led to an explosion in off-label use of the drug.
As such, Ozempic has been in short supply worldwide since 2022, with demand, fuelled by off-label use for weight loss, massively outstripping supply. The injectable glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) has been on the Therapeutic Goods Administration's (TGA’s) medicine shortage database since April 2022.
But the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has officially declared that the Ozempic and Wegovy shortage is over, with supply now meeting demand. Similar to Australia, the FDA declared that selling or making compounded versions of these drugs is now rendered illegal, with rare exceptions – since the drug is no longer considered to be in short supply.
All doses of these GLP-1RA medicines are being continuously shipped, supported by 24/7 production and significant investments in manufacturing, said Novo Nordisk.
‘We are pleased the FDA has declared that supply of the only real, FDA-approved semaglutide medicines is resolved, affirming that Novo Nordisk is meeting or exceeding current and projected nationwide demand,’ said Dave Moore, Executive Vice President, US. Operations and Global Business Development and President of Novo Nordisk Inc.
‘No one should have to compromise their health due to misinformation and reach for fake or illegitimate knockoff drugs that pose significant safety risks to patients.’
According to some, the move is premature. The FDA has been hit with lawsuits by a trade associate and compounders for what they claim is an improper reliance on the manufacturers' assurances that they could meet demand, without taking into account evidence showing that patients were still struggling to access the medicines.
Could Australia follow suit?
Not yet.
Novo Nordisk has informed the TGA that supply of Ozempic will continue to be limited until 31 December 2025, a spokesperson for Novo Nordisk told Australian Pharmacist.
‘This is due to the continued, unprecedented demand for Ozempic in Australia and around the world,’ said the spokesperson.
Novo Nordisk said it has continued to make significant investments to expand its global manufacturing capacity and meet demand to the greatest extent possible.
‘Since 2023, Novo Nordisk has committed to investing at least 41 billion AUD to build production capacity,’ said the spokesperson. ‘However, it takes time to build supply levels to meet global and local demand.’
It’s important to continue to follow the joint guidance issued by the TGA and various professional bodies on this matter, said the spokesperson.
‘Novo Nordisk will continue to work with the TGA to provide updates on this matter.’
What does the TGA advise?
Pharmacists are advised to inform patients that supply of Ozempic is expected to be limited in 2025 and discuss alternative treatments when patients are unable to access the medicine.
The TGA has said that both Ozempic and Wegovy should be prescribed and supplied according to their approved indications; for the management of type 2 diabetes and chronic weight management respectively.
‘Pharmacists should be aware that stock availability can change and sudden spikes in demand due to stockpiling or off-label use may affect continuity of care for patients stabilised on Ozempic,’ said the TGA.
Will GLP-1 RAs be subsidised for weight loss?
While Ozempic is subsidised on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) for type 2 diabetes, there is no GLP-1 RA that is TGA indicated for weight loss that is currently subsidised under the PBS.
As a result, Australians using Wegovy for weight loss must pay approximately $250–500 out of pocket each month.
However, since early 2025, in the United Kingdom, people who meet certain BMI criteria and have at least one weight-related co-morbidity have been able to access semaglutide (Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro) for weight management.
In November 2023, PBAC reviewed Novo Nordisk’s request to list semaglutide on the PBS for adults with severe obesity and at least two weight-related conditions, including obstructive sleep apnoea, osteoarthritis of the knee, or pre-diabetes. PBAC rejected the proposal, citing concerns it didn’t consider the drug cost-effective at the price proposed.
While recognising the long-term benefits of weight loss for people at risk of developing heart disease, diabetes or stroke, these were not factored into its cost-effectiveness assessment. PBAC suggested a future submission focus on patients with heart disease, type 2 diabetes, or multiple high-risk factors such as high blood pressure, cholesterol, or kidney disease.
Novo Nordisk previously told AP that it plans to resubmit an application to PBAC for Wegovy, factoring in these conditions since the drug’s new TGA indication for cardiovascular disease.
‘Novo Nordisk plans to resubmit Wegovy to the PBAC in 2025,’ said the spokesperson.
[post_title] => The Ozempic shortage is over, says FDA
[post_excerpt] => The Ozempic crisis is reportedly over in the United States. Could Australia's stock levels soon be replenished?
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[post_content] => As the 47th annual Mardi Gras lights up Sydney this weekend, here’s how pharmacists can build trust and champion inclusive healthcare.
The history of LGBTQIA+ discrimination has had a profound impact on how people from this community access healthcare today. Centuries of systemic exclusion and stigma have created significant barriers to equitable healthcare, continuing to shape healthcare policies, provider attitudes, and patient experiences.
The majority of the LGBTQIA+ community accesses mainstream primary care and health services.
But many will experience discrimination or prejudice from health professionals when seeking care, said Rainbow Pharmacist Professor Lisa Nissen FPS, Director, Health Workforce Optimisation, Centre for Business and Economics of Health at the University of Queensland.
‘This can range from assuming certain aspects of behaviour based on their appearance, showing judgement about their sexual practice or being non-inclusive of partners in conversations,’ she said.
‘Most will have faced some forms of discrimination, harassment or homophobia in their daily life and will be looking for environmental cues in the health setting that it is a safe and accepting environment.’
What could LGBTQIA+ discrimination look like in a pharmacy setting?
Discrimination happens when, for example, a patient presents a Medicare card with their birth name on it, however the pharmacist knows that as a transgender person they identify by another preferred name – which has been written on the script by the prescriber, said Prof Nissen.
‘Choosing, on purpose, to call out their birth name and label their medicines by that name, rather than confirming their preferred name and labelling their medicine [accordingly] would be discriminatory and offensive to that person,’ she said.
Microaggressions are also commonplace. For example, when discussing the oral contraceptive pill for hormone regulation with a lesbian patient, assuming they have a male partner or asking, ‘Do you have a boyfriend?’ can be exclusionary and dismissive of their identity.
Other examples of microaggressions include:
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[post_content] => Reporting additional patient information when administering vaccines will soon be required for all vaccination providers.
Here’s why it matters and how to comply.
What’s changing?
Under various regulations, pharmacists must report vaccines administered to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR).
Changes to the Australian Immunisation Register Act 2015 mean it is mandatory for all vaccination providers to report the administration of COVID-19, influenza, National Immunisation Program (NIP) and Japanese encephalitis virus vaccines to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR), a Department of Health and Aged Care spokesperson told Australian Pharmacist.
‘Legislative changes mean … it will be mandatory for all vaccination providers to report to AIR information about whether an individual was pregnant at the time of vaccine administration,’ said the spokesperson.
When does this change come into effect?
The new mandatory reporting requirements apply from Saturday, 1 March 2025.
What’s the reason for the change?
The Department of Health and Aged Care spokesperson said that the collection of antenatal data is important as it ensures that AIR contains a complete and reliable dataset to enable the monitoring of:
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[post_content] => The popular weight-loss drug has been approved to treat cardiovascular disease in patients who are overweight or obese.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) approval is based on results from the SELECT double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial – a global study conducted in 41 countries, including Australia, with over 17,000 participants.
Australian Pharmacist spoke with Professor Stephen Nicholls, lead of the Australian arm of the SELECT trial, about the significance of this new indication and what pharmacists need to know.
What impact does a Wegovy have on cardiovascular risk?
It has been well known for many years that being overweight or obese is a major risk factor for heart disease, said Prof Nicholls.
[caption id="attachment_28714" align="alignnone" width="700"]
Professor Stephen Nicholls[/caption]
‘And in people who have had a heart attack, the presence of overweight or obesity is associated with a worse risk of having another event – but there's nothing specifically that we've been able to do for these people.’
For decades, clinical trials for weight loss drugs have shown no benefit in reducing cardiovascular risk in these patients.
‘But here you have a trial where we specifically targeted people who were overweight, and it reduced their risk,’ he said.
Participants in the SELECT trial had cardiovascular disease, overweight or obesity, but without diabetes, said Professor Stephen Nicholls.
‘The trial found that giving them semaglutide reduced their risk of having another event by 20%,’ he said. ‘That's a game changer – both for the drug and the field.’
What makes a patient eligible for Wegovy for cardiovascular disease?
The new TGA indication for Wegovy is as a complementary therapy for reducing major adverse cardiovascular events such as cardiovascular death, heart attack, or non-fatal stroke in adults with:
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[post_content] => PSA announced the winners of the PSA New South Wales Excellence Awards at the Annual Therapeutic Update over the weekend, recognising outstanding pharmacists who have demonstrated excellence in their practice and dedication to improving healthcare outcomes for their communities.
PSA NSW President Luke Kelly congratulated each of the award recipients, highlighting their dedication to the pharmacy profession and improving patient care.
‘Each of these award winners has demonstrated exceptional leadership, dedication, and passion for improving health outcomes in their communities. Their contributions to the profession exemplify some of the best of pharmacy in NSW,’ he said.
‘Their dedication and leadership inspire the entire profession, and we are proud to celebrate their achievements.’
Australian Pharmacist takes a look at the achievements of this year’s winning cohort.
Pharmacist of the Year – Ammar Altayib MPS
Now a PhD candidate, former Sudanese refugee and NSW Pharmacist of the Year Ammar Altayib has been a clinical pharmacist for the past 7 years and has been nominated twice in recent years for patient safety awards for the Southern NSW Local Health District.
With numerous academic qualifications including a Masters in Pharmacy, the father of four, in addition to his hospital role, also works on Saturdays at Queanbeyan Pharmacy, teaches Arabic and is a leader in his local community. While nominated for the AdPha Clinical Pharmacy Award last year, he instead took out the African Australian Inc Academic and Professional Excellence Award.
Lifetime Achievement Award – David North OAM MPS
David North OAM has been awarded the PSA NSW Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his 5 decades of outstanding service to pharmacy and the Illawarra community. His career has spanned community pharmacy ownership, hospital pharmacy leadership, and significant contributions to professional development and mentorship.
David has played a key role in numerous community health initiatives, including projects on palliative care medication access, smoking cessation, asthma management, and opioid safety. His dedication to promoting medication safety and pharmacy’s role in public health has had a lasting impact.
A PSA Life Member and long-time advocate for the profession, David has also served as a peer reviewer, mentor, and board member of the Pharmacists Support Service. His leadership, commitment to patient care, and advocacy have left a profound legacy, making him a truly deserving recipient of this award.
Early Career Pharmacist of the Year – Lily Pham MPS
NSW Early Career Pharmacist of the Year Lily Pham has quickly established herself as a leader in pharmacy. As Vice President of the PSA NSW Branch Committee, she has played a key role in policy submissions, stakeholder engagement, and expanding pharmacists’ scope of practice, particularly in mental health. She has presented at PSA events, met with politicians, and contributed to PSA’s Medicine Safety: Mental Health report.
Lily is also undertaking a PhD at the University of Sydney, focusing on perinatal mental healthcare and the role of pharmacists in mental health screening. She works across hospital, community, and primary care settings, ensuring broad patient impact. A dedicated mentor, she supports early career pharmacists and leads professional development initiatives. Her commitment to patient care, research, and professional engagement makes her a deserving recipient of this award.
Intern of the Year – Peter Figliuzzi
NSW Intern of the Year Peter Figliuzzi is recognised for his leadership, initiative, and commitment to patient care. During his intern year, Peter developed a hospital discharge medication management system to ensure patients understood medication changes, reducing confusion and enhancing adherence. His proactive engagement with Veteran patients improved health outcomes through tailored MedsChecks and stronger patient-provider relationships.
Additionally, he streamlined vaccination services by creating a patient recall system, improving vaccination rates in his community. Peter’s continued dedication to patient safety, quality use of medicines, and professional collaboration makes him a deserving recipient of this award.
[post_title] => PSA NSW Excellence Award winners announced
[post_excerpt] => Four exemplary pharmacists were celebrated for their leadership, community impact, and commitment to health innovation.
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[post_content] => The semaglutide crisis is reportedly over in the United States. Will Australia's stock soon be replenished?
Ozempic has been on the market since 2017. But a 2021 clinical trial, linking Ozempic to significant weight loss, led to an explosion in off-label use of the drug.
As such, Ozempic has been in short supply worldwide since 2022, with demand, fuelled by off-label use for weight loss, massively outstripping supply. The injectable glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) has been on the Therapeutic Goods Administration's (TGA’s) medicine shortage database since April 2022.
But the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has officially declared that the Ozempic and Wegovy shortage is over, with supply now meeting demand. Similar to Australia, the FDA declared that selling or making compounded versions of these drugs is now rendered illegal, with rare exceptions – since the drug is no longer considered to be in short supply.
All doses of these GLP-1RA medicines are being continuously shipped, supported by 24/7 production and significant investments in manufacturing, said Novo Nordisk.
‘We are pleased the FDA has declared that supply of the only real, FDA-approved semaglutide medicines is resolved, affirming that Novo Nordisk is meeting or exceeding current and projected nationwide demand,’ said Dave Moore, Executive Vice President, US. Operations and Global Business Development and President of Novo Nordisk Inc.
‘No one should have to compromise their health due to misinformation and reach for fake or illegitimate knockoff drugs that pose significant safety risks to patients.’
According to some, the move is premature. The FDA has been hit with lawsuits by a trade associate and compounders for what they claim is an improper reliance on the manufacturers' assurances that they could meet demand, without taking into account evidence showing that patients were still struggling to access the medicines.
Could Australia follow suit?
Not yet.
Novo Nordisk has informed the TGA that supply of Ozempic will continue to be limited until 31 December 2025, a spokesperson for Novo Nordisk told Australian Pharmacist.
‘This is due to the continued, unprecedented demand for Ozempic in Australia and around the world,’ said the spokesperson.
Novo Nordisk said it has continued to make significant investments to expand its global manufacturing capacity and meet demand to the greatest extent possible.
‘Since 2023, Novo Nordisk has committed to investing at least 41 billion AUD to build production capacity,’ said the spokesperson. ‘However, it takes time to build supply levels to meet global and local demand.’
It’s important to continue to follow the joint guidance issued by the TGA and various professional bodies on this matter, said the spokesperson.
‘Novo Nordisk will continue to work with the TGA to provide updates on this matter.’
What does the TGA advise?
Pharmacists are advised to inform patients that supply of Ozempic is expected to be limited in 2025 and discuss alternative treatments when patients are unable to access the medicine.
The TGA has said that both Ozempic and Wegovy should be prescribed and supplied according to their approved indications; for the management of type 2 diabetes and chronic weight management respectively.
‘Pharmacists should be aware that stock availability can change and sudden spikes in demand due to stockpiling or off-label use may affect continuity of care for patients stabilised on Ozempic,’ said the TGA.
Will GLP-1 RAs be subsidised for weight loss?
While Ozempic is subsidised on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) for type 2 diabetes, there is no GLP-1 RA that is TGA indicated for weight loss that is currently subsidised under the PBS.
As a result, Australians using Wegovy for weight loss must pay approximately $250–500 out of pocket each month.
However, since early 2025, in the United Kingdom, people who meet certain BMI criteria and have at least one weight-related co-morbidity have been able to access semaglutide (Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro) for weight management.
In November 2023, PBAC reviewed Novo Nordisk’s request to list semaglutide on the PBS for adults with severe obesity and at least two weight-related conditions, including obstructive sleep apnoea, osteoarthritis of the knee, or pre-diabetes. PBAC rejected the proposal, citing concerns it didn’t consider the drug cost-effective at the price proposed.
While recognising the long-term benefits of weight loss for people at risk of developing heart disease, diabetes or stroke, these were not factored into its cost-effectiveness assessment. PBAC suggested a future submission focus on patients with heart disease, type 2 diabetes, or multiple high-risk factors such as high blood pressure, cholesterol, or kidney disease.
Novo Nordisk previously told AP that it plans to resubmit an application to PBAC for Wegovy, factoring in these conditions since the drug’s new TGA indication for cardiovascular disease.
‘Novo Nordisk plans to resubmit Wegovy to the PBAC in 2025,’ said the spokesperson.
[post_title] => The Ozempic shortage is over, says FDA
[post_excerpt] => The Ozempic crisis is reportedly over in the United States. Could Australia's stock levels soon be replenished?
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[post_content] => As the 47th annual Mardi Gras lights up Sydney this weekend, here’s how pharmacists can build trust and champion inclusive healthcare.
The history of LGBTQIA+ discrimination has had a profound impact on how people from this community access healthcare today. Centuries of systemic exclusion and stigma have created significant barriers to equitable healthcare, continuing to shape healthcare policies, provider attitudes, and patient experiences.
The majority of the LGBTQIA+ community accesses mainstream primary care and health services.
But many will experience discrimination or prejudice from health professionals when seeking care, said Rainbow Pharmacist Professor Lisa Nissen FPS, Director, Health Workforce Optimisation, Centre for Business and Economics of Health at the University of Queensland.
‘This can range from assuming certain aspects of behaviour based on their appearance, showing judgement about their sexual practice or being non-inclusive of partners in conversations,’ she said.
‘Most will have faced some forms of discrimination, harassment or homophobia in their daily life and will be looking for environmental cues in the health setting that it is a safe and accepting environment.’
What could LGBTQIA+ discrimination look like in a pharmacy setting?
Discrimination happens when, for example, a patient presents a Medicare card with their birth name on it, however the pharmacist knows that as a transgender person they identify by another preferred name – which has been written on the script by the prescriber, said Prof Nissen.
‘Choosing, on purpose, to call out their birth name and label their medicines by that name, rather than confirming their preferred name and labelling their medicine [accordingly] would be discriminatory and offensive to that person,’ she said.
Microaggressions are also commonplace. For example, when discussing the oral contraceptive pill for hormone regulation with a lesbian patient, assuming they have a male partner or asking, ‘Do you have a boyfriend?’ can be exclusionary and dismissive of their identity.
Other examples of microaggressions include:
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[post_content] => Reporting additional patient information when administering vaccines will soon be required for all vaccination providers.
Here’s why it matters and how to comply.
What’s changing?
Under various regulations, pharmacists must report vaccines administered to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR).
Changes to the Australian Immunisation Register Act 2015 mean it is mandatory for all vaccination providers to report the administration of COVID-19, influenza, National Immunisation Program (NIP) and Japanese encephalitis virus vaccines to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR), a Department of Health and Aged Care spokesperson told Australian Pharmacist.
‘Legislative changes mean … it will be mandatory for all vaccination providers to report to AIR information about whether an individual was pregnant at the time of vaccine administration,’ said the spokesperson.
When does this change come into effect?
The new mandatory reporting requirements apply from Saturday, 1 March 2025.
What’s the reason for the change?
The Department of Health and Aged Care spokesperson said that the collection of antenatal data is important as it ensures that AIR contains a complete and reliable dataset to enable the monitoring of:
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[post_content] => The popular weight-loss drug has been approved to treat cardiovascular disease in patients who are overweight or obese.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) approval is based on results from the SELECT double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial – a global study conducted in 41 countries, including Australia, with over 17,000 participants.
Australian Pharmacist spoke with Professor Stephen Nicholls, lead of the Australian arm of the SELECT trial, about the significance of this new indication and what pharmacists need to know.
What impact does a Wegovy have on cardiovascular risk?
It has been well known for many years that being overweight or obese is a major risk factor for heart disease, said Prof Nicholls.
[caption id="attachment_28714" align="alignnone" width="700"] Professor Stephen Nicholls[/caption]
‘And in people who have had a heart attack, the presence of overweight or obesity is associated with a worse risk of having another event – but there's nothing specifically that we've been able to do for these people.’
For decades, clinical trials for weight loss drugs have shown no benefit in reducing cardiovascular risk in these patients.
‘But here you have a trial where we specifically targeted people who were overweight, and it reduced their risk,’ he said.
Participants in the SELECT trial had cardiovascular disease, overweight or obesity, but without diabetes, said Professor Stephen Nicholls.
‘The trial found that giving them semaglutide reduced their risk of having another event by 20%,’ he said. ‘That's a game changer – both for the drug and the field.’
What makes a patient eligible for Wegovy for cardiovascular disease?
The new TGA indication for Wegovy is as a complementary therapy for reducing major adverse cardiovascular events such as cardiovascular death, heart attack, or non-fatal stroke in adults with:
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[post_content] => PSA announced the winners of the PSA New South Wales Excellence Awards at the Annual Therapeutic Update over the weekend, recognising outstanding pharmacists who have demonstrated excellence in their practice and dedication to improving healthcare outcomes for their communities.
PSA NSW President Luke Kelly congratulated each of the award recipients, highlighting their dedication to the pharmacy profession and improving patient care.
‘Each of these award winners has demonstrated exceptional leadership, dedication, and passion for improving health outcomes in their communities. Their contributions to the profession exemplify some of the best of pharmacy in NSW,’ he said.
‘Their dedication and leadership inspire the entire profession, and we are proud to celebrate their achievements.’
Australian Pharmacist takes a look at the achievements of this year’s winning cohort.
Pharmacist of the Year – Ammar Altayib MPS
Now a PhD candidate, former Sudanese refugee and NSW Pharmacist of the Year Ammar Altayib has been a clinical pharmacist for the past 7 years and has been nominated twice in recent years for patient safety awards for the Southern NSW Local Health District.
With numerous academic qualifications including a Masters in Pharmacy, the father of four, in addition to his hospital role, also works on Saturdays at Queanbeyan Pharmacy, teaches Arabic and is a leader in his local community. While nominated for the AdPha Clinical Pharmacy Award last year, he instead took out the African Australian Inc Academic and Professional Excellence Award.
Lifetime Achievement Award – David North OAM MPS
David North OAM has been awarded the PSA NSW Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his 5 decades of outstanding service to pharmacy and the Illawarra community. His career has spanned community pharmacy ownership, hospital pharmacy leadership, and significant contributions to professional development and mentorship.
David has played a key role in numerous community health initiatives, including projects on palliative care medication access, smoking cessation, asthma management, and opioid safety. His dedication to promoting medication safety and pharmacy’s role in public health has had a lasting impact.
A PSA Life Member and long-time advocate for the profession, David has also served as a peer reviewer, mentor, and board member of the Pharmacists Support Service. His leadership, commitment to patient care, and advocacy have left a profound legacy, making him a truly deserving recipient of this award.
Early Career Pharmacist of the Year – Lily Pham MPS
NSW Early Career Pharmacist of the Year Lily Pham has quickly established herself as a leader in pharmacy. As Vice President of the PSA NSW Branch Committee, she has played a key role in policy submissions, stakeholder engagement, and expanding pharmacists’ scope of practice, particularly in mental health. She has presented at PSA events, met with politicians, and contributed to PSA’s Medicine Safety: Mental Health report.
Lily is also undertaking a PhD at the University of Sydney, focusing on perinatal mental healthcare and the role of pharmacists in mental health screening. She works across hospital, community, and primary care settings, ensuring broad patient impact. A dedicated mentor, she supports early career pharmacists and leads professional development initiatives. Her commitment to patient care, research, and professional engagement makes her a deserving recipient of this award.
Intern of the Year – Peter Figliuzzi
NSW Intern of the Year Peter Figliuzzi is recognised for his leadership, initiative, and commitment to patient care. During his intern year, Peter developed a hospital discharge medication management system to ensure patients understood medication changes, reducing confusion and enhancing adherence. His proactive engagement with Veteran patients improved health outcomes through tailored MedsChecks and stronger patient-provider relationships.
Additionally, he streamlined vaccination services by creating a patient recall system, improving vaccination rates in his community. Peter’s continued dedication to patient safety, quality use of medicines, and professional collaboration makes him a deserving recipient of this award.
[post_title] => PSA NSW Excellence Award winners announced
[post_excerpt] => Four exemplary pharmacists were celebrated for their leadership, community impact, and commitment to health innovation.
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[post_content] => The semaglutide crisis is reportedly over in the United States. Will Australia's stock soon be replenished?
Ozempic has been on the market since 2017. But a 2021 clinical trial, linking Ozempic to significant weight loss, led to an explosion in off-label use of the drug.
As such, Ozempic has been in short supply worldwide since 2022, with demand, fuelled by off-label use for weight loss, massively outstripping supply. The injectable glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) has been on the Therapeutic Goods Administration's (TGA’s) medicine shortage database since April 2022.
But the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has officially declared that the Ozempic and Wegovy shortage is over, with supply now meeting demand. Similar to Australia, the FDA declared that selling or making compounded versions of these drugs is now rendered illegal, with rare exceptions – since the drug is no longer considered to be in short supply.
All doses of these GLP-1RA medicines are being continuously shipped, supported by 24/7 production and significant investments in manufacturing, said Novo Nordisk.
‘We are pleased the FDA has declared that supply of the only real, FDA-approved semaglutide medicines is resolved, affirming that Novo Nordisk is meeting or exceeding current and projected nationwide demand,’ said Dave Moore, Executive Vice President, US. Operations and Global Business Development and President of Novo Nordisk Inc.
‘No one should have to compromise their health due to misinformation and reach for fake or illegitimate knockoff drugs that pose significant safety risks to patients.’
According to some, the move is premature. The FDA has been hit with lawsuits by a trade associate and compounders for what they claim is an improper reliance on the manufacturers' assurances that they could meet demand, without taking into account evidence showing that patients were still struggling to access the medicines.
Could Australia follow suit?
Not yet.
Novo Nordisk has informed the TGA that supply of Ozempic will continue to be limited until 31 December 2025, a spokesperson for Novo Nordisk told Australian Pharmacist.
‘This is due to the continued, unprecedented demand for Ozempic in Australia and around the world,’ said the spokesperson.
Novo Nordisk said it has continued to make significant investments to expand its global manufacturing capacity and meet demand to the greatest extent possible.
‘Since 2023, Novo Nordisk has committed to investing at least 41 billion AUD to build production capacity,’ said the spokesperson. ‘However, it takes time to build supply levels to meet global and local demand.’
It’s important to continue to follow the joint guidance issued by the TGA and various professional bodies on this matter, said the spokesperson.
‘Novo Nordisk will continue to work with the TGA to provide updates on this matter.’
What does the TGA advise?
Pharmacists are advised to inform patients that supply of Ozempic is expected to be limited in 2025 and discuss alternative treatments when patients are unable to access the medicine.
The TGA has said that both Ozempic and Wegovy should be prescribed and supplied according to their approved indications; for the management of type 2 diabetes and chronic weight management respectively.
‘Pharmacists should be aware that stock availability can change and sudden spikes in demand due to stockpiling or off-label use may affect continuity of care for patients stabilised on Ozempic,’ said the TGA.
Will GLP-1 RAs be subsidised for weight loss?
While Ozempic is subsidised on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) for type 2 diabetes, there is no GLP-1 RA that is TGA indicated for weight loss that is currently subsidised under the PBS.
As a result, Australians using Wegovy for weight loss must pay approximately $250–500 out of pocket each month.
However, since early 2025, in the United Kingdom, people who meet certain BMI criteria and have at least one weight-related co-morbidity have been able to access semaglutide (Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro) for weight management.
In November 2023, PBAC reviewed Novo Nordisk’s request to list semaglutide on the PBS for adults with severe obesity and at least two weight-related conditions, including obstructive sleep apnoea, osteoarthritis of the knee, or pre-diabetes. PBAC rejected the proposal, citing concerns it didn’t consider the drug cost-effective at the price proposed.
While recognising the long-term benefits of weight loss for people at risk of developing heart disease, diabetes or stroke, these were not factored into its cost-effectiveness assessment. PBAC suggested a future submission focus on patients with heart disease, type 2 diabetes, or multiple high-risk factors such as high blood pressure, cholesterol, or kidney disease.
Novo Nordisk previously told AP that it plans to resubmit an application to PBAC for Wegovy, factoring in these conditions since the drug’s new TGA indication for cardiovascular disease.
‘Novo Nordisk plans to resubmit Wegovy to the PBAC in 2025,’ said the spokesperson.
[post_title] => The Ozempic shortage is over, says FDA
[post_excerpt] => The Ozempic crisis is reportedly over in the United States. Could Australia's stock levels soon be replenished?
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[post_content] => As the 47th annual Mardi Gras lights up Sydney this weekend, here’s how pharmacists can build trust and champion inclusive healthcare.
The history of LGBTQIA+ discrimination has had a profound impact on how people from this community access healthcare today. Centuries of systemic exclusion and stigma have created significant barriers to equitable healthcare, continuing to shape healthcare policies, provider attitudes, and patient experiences.
The majority of the LGBTQIA+ community accesses mainstream primary care and health services.
But many will experience discrimination or prejudice from health professionals when seeking care, said Rainbow Pharmacist Professor Lisa Nissen FPS, Director, Health Workforce Optimisation, Centre for Business and Economics of Health at the University of Queensland.
‘This can range from assuming certain aspects of behaviour based on their appearance, showing judgement about their sexual practice or being non-inclusive of partners in conversations,’ she said.
‘Most will have faced some forms of discrimination, harassment or homophobia in their daily life and will be looking for environmental cues in the health setting that it is a safe and accepting environment.’
What could LGBTQIA+ discrimination look like in a pharmacy setting?
Discrimination happens when, for example, a patient presents a Medicare card with their birth name on it, however the pharmacist knows that as a transgender person they identify by another preferred name – which has been written on the script by the prescriber, said Prof Nissen.
‘Choosing, on purpose, to call out their birth name and label their medicines by that name, rather than confirming their preferred name and labelling their medicine [accordingly] would be discriminatory and offensive to that person,’ she said.
Microaggressions are also commonplace. For example, when discussing the oral contraceptive pill for hormone regulation with a lesbian patient, assuming they have a male partner or asking, ‘Do you have a boyfriend?’ can be exclusionary and dismissive of their identity.
Other examples of microaggressions include:
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[post_content] => Reporting additional patient information when administering vaccines will soon be required for all vaccination providers.
Here’s why it matters and how to comply.
What’s changing?
Under various regulations, pharmacists must report vaccines administered to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR).
Changes to the Australian Immunisation Register Act 2015 mean it is mandatory for all vaccination providers to report the administration of COVID-19, influenza, National Immunisation Program (NIP) and Japanese encephalitis virus vaccines to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR), a Department of Health and Aged Care spokesperson told Australian Pharmacist.
‘Legislative changes mean … it will be mandatory for all vaccination providers to report to AIR information about whether an individual was pregnant at the time of vaccine administration,’ said the spokesperson.
When does this change come into effect?
The new mandatory reporting requirements apply from Saturday, 1 March 2025.
What’s the reason for the change?
The Department of Health and Aged Care spokesperson said that the collection of antenatal data is important as it ensures that AIR contains a complete and reliable dataset to enable the monitoring of:
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[post_content] => The popular weight-loss drug has been approved to treat cardiovascular disease in patients who are overweight or obese.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) approval is based on results from the SELECT double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial – a global study conducted in 41 countries, including Australia, with over 17,000 participants.
Australian Pharmacist spoke with Professor Stephen Nicholls, lead of the Australian arm of the SELECT trial, about the significance of this new indication and what pharmacists need to know.
What impact does a Wegovy have on cardiovascular risk?
It has been well known for many years that being overweight or obese is a major risk factor for heart disease, said Prof Nicholls.
[caption id="attachment_28714" align="alignnone" width="700"] Professor Stephen Nicholls[/caption]
‘And in people who have had a heart attack, the presence of overweight or obesity is associated with a worse risk of having another event – but there's nothing specifically that we've been able to do for these people.’
For decades, clinical trials for weight loss drugs have shown no benefit in reducing cardiovascular risk in these patients.
‘But here you have a trial where we specifically targeted people who were overweight, and it reduced their risk,’ he said.
Participants in the SELECT trial had cardiovascular disease, overweight or obesity, but without diabetes, said Professor Stephen Nicholls.
‘The trial found that giving them semaglutide reduced their risk of having another event by 20%,’ he said. ‘That's a game changer – both for the drug and the field.’
What makes a patient eligible for Wegovy for cardiovascular disease?
The new TGA indication for Wegovy is as a complementary therapy for reducing major adverse cardiovascular events such as cardiovascular death, heart attack, or non-fatal stroke in adults with:
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[post_content] => PSA announced the winners of the PSA New South Wales Excellence Awards at the Annual Therapeutic Update over the weekend, recognising outstanding pharmacists who have demonstrated excellence in their practice and dedication to improving healthcare outcomes for their communities.
PSA NSW President Luke Kelly congratulated each of the award recipients, highlighting their dedication to the pharmacy profession and improving patient care.
‘Each of these award winners has demonstrated exceptional leadership, dedication, and passion for improving health outcomes in their communities. Their contributions to the profession exemplify some of the best of pharmacy in NSW,’ he said.
‘Their dedication and leadership inspire the entire profession, and we are proud to celebrate their achievements.’
Australian Pharmacist takes a look at the achievements of this year’s winning cohort.
Pharmacist of the Year – Ammar Altayib MPS
Now a PhD candidate, former Sudanese refugee and NSW Pharmacist of the Year Ammar Altayib has been a clinical pharmacist for the past 7 years and has been nominated twice in recent years for patient safety awards for the Southern NSW Local Health District.
With numerous academic qualifications including a Masters in Pharmacy, the father of four, in addition to his hospital role, also works on Saturdays at Queanbeyan Pharmacy, teaches Arabic and is a leader in his local community. While nominated for the AdPha Clinical Pharmacy Award last year, he instead took out the African Australian Inc Academic and Professional Excellence Award.
Lifetime Achievement Award – David North OAM MPS
David North OAM has been awarded the PSA NSW Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his 5 decades of outstanding service to pharmacy and the Illawarra community. His career has spanned community pharmacy ownership, hospital pharmacy leadership, and significant contributions to professional development and mentorship.
David has played a key role in numerous community health initiatives, including projects on palliative care medication access, smoking cessation, asthma management, and opioid safety. His dedication to promoting medication safety and pharmacy’s role in public health has had a lasting impact.
A PSA Life Member and long-time advocate for the profession, David has also served as a peer reviewer, mentor, and board member of the Pharmacists Support Service. His leadership, commitment to patient care, and advocacy have left a profound legacy, making him a truly deserving recipient of this award.
Early Career Pharmacist of the Year – Lily Pham MPS
NSW Early Career Pharmacist of the Year Lily Pham has quickly established herself as a leader in pharmacy. As Vice President of the PSA NSW Branch Committee, she has played a key role in policy submissions, stakeholder engagement, and expanding pharmacists’ scope of practice, particularly in mental health. She has presented at PSA events, met with politicians, and contributed to PSA’s Medicine Safety: Mental Health report.
Lily is also undertaking a PhD at the University of Sydney, focusing on perinatal mental healthcare and the role of pharmacists in mental health screening. She works across hospital, community, and primary care settings, ensuring broad patient impact. A dedicated mentor, she supports early career pharmacists and leads professional development initiatives. Her commitment to patient care, research, and professional engagement makes her a deserving recipient of this award.
Intern of the Year – Peter Figliuzzi
NSW Intern of the Year Peter Figliuzzi is recognised for his leadership, initiative, and commitment to patient care. During his intern year, Peter developed a hospital discharge medication management system to ensure patients understood medication changes, reducing confusion and enhancing adherence. His proactive engagement with Veteran patients improved health outcomes through tailored MedsChecks and stronger patient-provider relationships.
Additionally, he streamlined vaccination services by creating a patient recall system, improving vaccination rates in his community. Peter’s continued dedication to patient safety, quality use of medicines, and professional collaboration makes him a deserving recipient of this award.
[post_title] => PSA NSW Excellence Award winners announced
[post_excerpt] => Four exemplary pharmacists were celebrated for their leadership, community impact, and commitment to health innovation.
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[post_content] => The semaglutide crisis is reportedly over in the United States. Will Australia's stock soon be replenished?
Ozempic has been on the market since 2017. But a 2021 clinical trial, linking Ozempic to significant weight loss, led to an explosion in off-label use of the drug.
As such, Ozempic has been in short supply worldwide since 2022, with demand, fuelled by off-label use for weight loss, massively outstripping supply. The injectable glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) has been on the Therapeutic Goods Administration's (TGA’s) medicine shortage database since April 2022.
But the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has officially declared that the Ozempic and Wegovy shortage is over, with supply now meeting demand. Similar to Australia, the FDA declared that selling or making compounded versions of these drugs is now rendered illegal, with rare exceptions – since the drug is no longer considered to be in short supply.
All doses of these GLP-1RA medicines are being continuously shipped, supported by 24/7 production and significant investments in manufacturing, said Novo Nordisk.
‘We are pleased the FDA has declared that supply of the only real, FDA-approved semaglutide medicines is resolved, affirming that Novo Nordisk is meeting or exceeding current and projected nationwide demand,’ said Dave Moore, Executive Vice President, US. Operations and Global Business Development and President of Novo Nordisk Inc.
‘No one should have to compromise their health due to misinformation and reach for fake or illegitimate knockoff drugs that pose significant safety risks to patients.’
According to some, the move is premature. The FDA has been hit with lawsuits by a trade associate and compounders for what they claim is an improper reliance on the manufacturers' assurances that they could meet demand, without taking into account evidence showing that patients were still struggling to access the medicines.
Could Australia follow suit?
Not yet.
Novo Nordisk has informed the TGA that supply of Ozempic will continue to be limited until 31 December 2025, a spokesperson for Novo Nordisk told Australian Pharmacist.
‘This is due to the continued, unprecedented demand for Ozempic in Australia and around the world,’ said the spokesperson.
Novo Nordisk said it has continued to make significant investments to expand its global manufacturing capacity and meet demand to the greatest extent possible.
‘Since 2023, Novo Nordisk has committed to investing at least 41 billion AUD to build production capacity,’ said the spokesperson. ‘However, it takes time to build supply levels to meet global and local demand.’
It’s important to continue to follow the joint guidance issued by the TGA and various professional bodies on this matter, said the spokesperson.
‘Novo Nordisk will continue to work with the TGA to provide updates on this matter.’
What does the TGA advise?
Pharmacists are advised to inform patients that supply of Ozempic is expected to be limited in 2025 and discuss alternative treatments when patients are unable to access the medicine.
The TGA has said that both Ozempic and Wegovy should be prescribed and supplied according to their approved indications; for the management of type 2 diabetes and chronic weight management respectively.
‘Pharmacists should be aware that stock availability can change and sudden spikes in demand due to stockpiling or off-label use may affect continuity of care for patients stabilised on Ozempic,’ said the TGA.
Will GLP-1 RAs be subsidised for weight loss?
While Ozempic is subsidised on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) for type 2 diabetes, there is no GLP-1 RA that is TGA indicated for weight loss that is currently subsidised under the PBS.
As a result, Australians using Wegovy for weight loss must pay approximately $250–500 out of pocket each month.
However, since early 2025, in the United Kingdom, people who meet certain BMI criteria and have at least one weight-related co-morbidity have been able to access semaglutide (Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro) for weight management.
In November 2023, PBAC reviewed Novo Nordisk’s request to list semaglutide on the PBS for adults with severe obesity and at least two weight-related conditions, including obstructive sleep apnoea, osteoarthritis of the knee, or pre-diabetes. PBAC rejected the proposal, citing concerns it didn’t consider the drug cost-effective at the price proposed.
While recognising the long-term benefits of weight loss for people at risk of developing heart disease, diabetes or stroke, these were not factored into its cost-effectiveness assessment. PBAC suggested a future submission focus on patients with heart disease, type 2 diabetes, or multiple high-risk factors such as high blood pressure, cholesterol, or kidney disease.
Novo Nordisk previously told AP that it plans to resubmit an application to PBAC for Wegovy, factoring in these conditions since the drug’s new TGA indication for cardiovascular disease.
‘Novo Nordisk plans to resubmit Wegovy to the PBAC in 2025,’ said the spokesperson.
[post_title] => The Ozempic shortage is over, says FDA
[post_excerpt] => The Ozempic crisis is reportedly over in the United States. Could Australia's stock levels soon be replenished?
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[post_content] => As the 47th annual Mardi Gras lights up Sydney this weekend, here’s how pharmacists can build trust and champion inclusive healthcare.
The history of LGBTQIA+ discrimination has had a profound impact on how people from this community access healthcare today. Centuries of systemic exclusion and stigma have created significant barriers to equitable healthcare, continuing to shape healthcare policies, provider attitudes, and patient experiences.
The majority of the LGBTQIA+ community accesses mainstream primary care and health services.
But many will experience discrimination or prejudice from health professionals when seeking care, said Rainbow Pharmacist Professor Lisa Nissen FPS, Director, Health Workforce Optimisation, Centre for Business and Economics of Health at the University of Queensland.
‘This can range from assuming certain aspects of behaviour based on their appearance, showing judgement about their sexual practice or being non-inclusive of partners in conversations,’ she said.
‘Most will have faced some forms of discrimination, harassment or homophobia in their daily life and will be looking for environmental cues in the health setting that it is a safe and accepting environment.’
What could LGBTQIA+ discrimination look like in a pharmacy setting?
Discrimination happens when, for example, a patient presents a Medicare card with their birth name on it, however the pharmacist knows that as a transgender person they identify by another preferred name – which has been written on the script by the prescriber, said Prof Nissen.
‘Choosing, on purpose, to call out their birth name and label their medicines by that name, rather than confirming their preferred name and labelling their medicine [accordingly] would be discriminatory and offensive to that person,’ she said.
Microaggressions are also commonplace. For example, when discussing the oral contraceptive pill for hormone regulation with a lesbian patient, assuming they have a male partner or asking, ‘Do you have a boyfriend?’ can be exclusionary and dismissive of their identity.
Other examples of microaggressions include:
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[post_date] => 2025-02-24 11:52:46
[post_date_gmt] => 2025-02-24 00:52:46
[post_content] => Reporting additional patient information when administering vaccines will soon be required for all vaccination providers.
Here’s why it matters and how to comply.
What’s changing?
Under various regulations, pharmacists must report vaccines administered to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR).
Changes to the Australian Immunisation Register Act 2015 mean it is mandatory for all vaccination providers to report the administration of COVID-19, influenza, National Immunisation Program (NIP) and Japanese encephalitis virus vaccines to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR), a Department of Health and Aged Care spokesperson told Australian Pharmacist.
‘Legislative changes mean … it will be mandatory for all vaccination providers to report to AIR information about whether an individual was pregnant at the time of vaccine administration,’ said the spokesperson.
When does this change come into effect?
The new mandatory reporting requirements apply from Saturday, 1 March 2025.
What’s the reason for the change?
The Department of Health and Aged Care spokesperson said that the collection of antenatal data is important as it ensures that AIR contains a complete and reliable dataset to enable the monitoring of:
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[post_date] => 2025-02-19 11:00:49
[post_date_gmt] => 2025-02-19 00:00:49
[post_content] => The popular weight-loss drug has been approved to treat cardiovascular disease in patients who are overweight or obese.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) approval is based on results from the SELECT double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial – a global study conducted in 41 countries, including Australia, with over 17,000 participants.
Australian Pharmacist spoke with Professor Stephen Nicholls, lead of the Australian arm of the SELECT trial, about the significance of this new indication and what pharmacists need to know.
What impact does a Wegovy have on cardiovascular risk?
It has been well known for many years that being overweight or obese is a major risk factor for heart disease, said Prof Nicholls.
[caption id="attachment_28714" align="alignnone" width="700"] Professor Stephen Nicholls[/caption]
‘And in people who have had a heart attack, the presence of overweight or obesity is associated with a worse risk of having another event – but there's nothing specifically that we've been able to do for these people.’
For decades, clinical trials for weight loss drugs have shown no benefit in reducing cardiovascular risk in these patients.
‘But here you have a trial where we specifically targeted people who were overweight, and it reduced their risk,’ he said.
Participants in the SELECT trial had cardiovascular disease, overweight or obesity, but without diabetes, said Professor Stephen Nicholls.
‘The trial found that giving them semaglutide reduced their risk of having another event by 20%,’ he said. ‘That's a game changer – both for the drug and the field.’
What makes a patient eligible for Wegovy for cardiovascular disease?
The new TGA indication for Wegovy is as a complementary therapy for reducing major adverse cardiovascular events such as cardiovascular death, heart attack, or non-fatal stroke in adults with:
CPD credits
Accreditation Code : CAP2411SYPJH
Group 1 : 0.75 CPD credits
Group 2 : 1.5 CPD credits
This activity has been accredited for 0.75 hours of Group 1 CPD (or 0.75 CPD credits) suitable for inclusion in an individual pharmacist's CPD plan, which can be converted to 0.75 hours of Group 2 CPD (or 1.5 CPD credits) upon successful completion of relevant assessment activities.
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Australian Pharmacist is the official journal for Pharmaceutical Society of Australia Ltd.
