Prescribing pharmacists could risk an AHPRA investigation if they dispense a prescription without declaring a conflict of interest to patients, the watchdog’s latest guidance suggests.

The interim guidance, published this week, comes amid growing concern that some business models are creating situations that could “unduly influence” the care provided by practitioners.

The watchdog is calling for information on any individual or company attempting to “corrupt” the clinical independence of health practitioners in the pursuit of money.

There are numerous business models alarming AHPRA, including those advertising, prescribing and dispensing a single medicine and those providing hidden incentives for practitioners to promote particular treatments (see case study below).