Policy and Advocacy Library
The Policy and Advocacy Library is the culmination of the collaborative work of RACP members and comprises a comprehensive range of evidence-based, published RACP position statements, policies and submissions.
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Description
The RACP strongly supports the Ministry of Education’s proposed changes to the promotion and provision of healthy drinks in schools in Aotearoa New Zealand. Our preferred option is a healthy drinks policy in both primary and secondary schools. Effective implementation will depend on partnership with young people in decision making.
Description
The Ministry of Health’s proposal to extend the schedule of the Medicines (Designated Pharmacist Prescribers) Regulations 2013 and include several medicines for the treatment of COVID-19 provides a useful new toolkit, with potential to prevent hospitalisation and death. However, there are divergent views on the inclusion of specific medicines on the schedule and risks to patients. We note the lack of commitment to equity of access to COVID therapeutics and equity of outcomes in addition to the schedule in this proposal, as well as the lack of specific detail about the new medicines.
Description
The RACP strongly supports the proposal to include a warning and advisory statement relating to the harm of opioid abuse, misuse, and dependence on package labelling of opioid medicines. However, the RACP cautions that this statement will not be enough on its own to tackle opioid-related harm. A wide range of actions are needed to ensure an opioid crisis does not take hold in Aotearoa.
Description
This submission outlines our support for the draft National Tobacco Strategy 2022-2030, the need for strong regulation of novel and emerging products with a focus on youth, as well as additional recommendations for international collaboration in tobacco control.
Description
The RACP is supportive of the proposed changes by the Medical Council of New Zealand. The College deems the changes timely, better enabling doctors to understand their responsibilities to the public. RACP calls for a separate statement on doctor’s responsibilities not to spread misinformation or disinformation.
Description
The College’s submission welcomes the development of the Australian Cancer Plan (ACP). The ACP will offer a critical opportunity to provide national leadership and direction on cancer control and to overcome the existing silos in cancer prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment and follow up. Whole-of-government leadership, commitment, investment and coordination will be essential to ensure effective implementation of the ACP and achieve improved outcomes in the incidence and impact of cancer. The College agrees that the ACP should be ambitious and future-focused to address inequities and priorities across the whole cancer journey for key population groups.
Description
The College feedback on the Australian Government’s National Medicines Policy Consultation Draft focuses on reiterating important issues previously raised in the College’s October 2021 submission that have not been adequately addressed in the NMP Consultation Draft, namely, the need for the revised NMP to: articulate overall governance and accountability mechanisms and specific details on the implementation and evaluation of the NMP; strengthen the NMP’s commitment to equity of access to medicines for all who are disproportionately impacted by health inequities; recognise the specific needs of children and young people; acknowledge the importance of ensuring the currency and sustainability of the clinical pharmacology workforce to enable safe, effective and quality use of medicine and ensure this expertise is included as a key component within future governance arrangements and planning for the NMP; recognise the importance of the National Prescribing Service, the Council of Australian Therapeutic Advisory Group and individual state and territory Therapeutic Advisory Groups to the successful implementation of the NMP.
Description
This joint RACP/RANZCP document outlines recommendations representing a comprehensive tobacco control program that will promote better health and well-being for Australians and New Zealanders now and in the future.
Description
This submission is provided to the Commonwealth Department of Health’s consultation to inform the development of the next iteration of the National tobacco strategy.
Description
The RACP supports the overarching goals and the policy areas of focus the Government has adopted within the Budget Policy Statement 2022. We call for a greater emphasis on equity in the ongoing response, recovery and rebuild from the impacts of COVID-19.
