The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) passed down their judgement on December 20 concerning the classification of eleven oral contraceptive substances, affirming it would not amend their current Poisons Standard so that the medicines could be legally accessed without a prescription.

The Guild, who have actively pushed for the substances to be reclassified, described the decision as the dismissal of a significant issue relating to women's health, and that Pharmacists have the "clinic skills" to assist GPs in managing community health.

However, Dr Rachel Glasson from Blamey Street Surgery in Turvey Park says pharmacists are not qualified to recommend and monitor the use of oral contraception and that the TGA's decision was the safest option.

"There's a limited number of medications that are safe to prescribe over the counter, and definitely the contraceptive pill is not one of them," she said.

"Medical assessment about the best option for an individual woman and then monitoring for any complications... is a medical job, that is what we're trained for... pharmacists aren't.

"I don't think that this can be safely assessed and prescribed, and then monitored at a pharmacy. It's just not appropriate."

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Dr Glasson explained that a woman can renew her scripts and access a year's supply of oral contraception during one annual appointment that allows GPs to responsibly monitor the patient's health, which is not an "onerous" commitment.

Under the recent proposals considered by the TGA, women would be enabled to access a contraceptive medication if they could prove it had been prescribed to them within two years.

"That means that you only get monitoring every two or three years... which is not enough," she said.

"It was also trying to say that the pharmacy could consult with a woman and decide whether it was still the right contraceptive choice.

"That is making pharmacists into doctors, and they haven't been to medical school for six years."

Dr Glasson said her views align with those of the Australian Medical Association, who said the TGAs ruling gives them confidence that women's health is being taken seriously.

"The AMA welcomes the TGA's sensible decision to keep discussions around women's fertility and the risks and benefits of the oral contraceptive pill between women and their doctors, rather than have them occur in the retail environment of a pharmacy," said AMA President Dr Omar Khorshid in a recent statement.

The Guild, however, say the decision is deeply regrettable and reinforces gender bias in a time where steps should be made to improve health outcomes for women.

"[Pharmacists] deal with a huge range of enquiries about health and are well equipped to help deliver strong and positive health outcomes for patients," said the Guild's National Councillor Natalie Willis.

"Allowing pharmacies to sell the pill in certain situations would take pressure off GPs and increase its accessibility for women.

"Unplanned pregnancies represent a significant ongoing health risk to Australian women. A wait of maybe three weeks to see a GP doesn't help such a situation."

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