Doctors have upped the stakes in their turf war with pharmacists, hitting back at a threatened intrusion into their domain with a proposal to allow GPs to own chemists. A coalition of general practitioners will lobby Health Minister Greg Hunt for the change, which doctors say would help give Australians access to cheaper medicines through increased competition – especially in regional areas. Pharmacies could be in for a shakeup under proposed changes. Credit:Louie Douvis But the powerful Pharmacy Guild, representing thousands of small community pharmacist owners, will argue that doctors should not be allowed to own chemist shops as it would create an incentive for them to prescribe medicines even when they may not be needed. Royal Australian College of GPs president Harry Nespolon rejected this suggestion, saying doctors were subject to strict oversight by the Medical Board of Australia and Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency. "Most doctors are […]