Pharmacy research and development is one of the priorities identified in the Fourth Agreement between the Commonwealth and The Pharmacy Guild of Australia. Under the Fourth Community Pharmacy Agreement (Fourth Agreement) the Professional Programs and Services Advisory Committee (PPSAC) has been established to provide advice to the Minister for Health and Ageing on the funding of, and management responsibilities for, programs and projects under the Professional Programs and Services funded by the Fourth Agreement.

Following a recommendation from PPSAC, the Minister for Health and Ageing has assigned the management of the Research and Development Program to The Pharmacy Guild of Australia with the guidance of the Steering Committee.

The Research and Development Steering Committee has been established to provide:

• advice and recommendations to the PPSAC on the development, implementation and ongoing management of the Fourth Agreement Research and Development Program; and
• advice to The Pharmacy Guild of Australia, as manager of the Fourth Agreement Research and Development Program.

Funding of up to $19 million has been allocated for the Research and Development Program. It is limited to research conducted during the period of the Fourth Community Pharmacy Agreement. Therefore all research projects funded under the Fourth Agreement will need to be finalised prior to 30 June 2010 to ensure access to grant payments.

The overall aim of the Research and Development Program is to identify research and development priority areas in community pharmacy service provision and then to fund projects with the greatest potential to deliver services with positive health outcomes for consumers and economic impacts for the health system.

A framework of themes and categories has been developed to assist in achieving the Program aim by outlining the basis upon which each research proposal will be assessed and prioritised.