As the 2025 Australian Pharmacy Professional Conference & Trade Exhibition (APP) came to a close on Saturday, The Pharmacy Guild of Australia extended its gratitude to the 7,500 attendees who contributed to making this year’s event an unforgettable experience and officially the largest APP conference ever!
The Guild also thanked the sponsors, exhibitors, speakers, and suppliers for making the event possible.
“We wanted attendees to leave APP2025 feeling empowered and ready to unlock their opportunities, and I believe we achieved that,” reflected Conference Convenor, Kos Sclavos AM.
“I look forward to seeing how we, as a community, transform the learnings from APP2025 into actions that will benefit both patients and the broader pharmacy industry.
“I also want to acknowledge the wider industry including suppliers, as without their support APP would not be possible,” said Mr Sclavos.
APP2025 was a conference of milestones, beyond the record-breaking attendance. For the first time in its 35-year history, an Australian Prime Minister attended the event.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese addressed delegates during the Opening Plenary on Thursday 20 March, where he announced that from 1 January 2026, all PBS prescription costs will be capped at $25.
“We were delighted by the Prime Minister’s announcement of the general co-payment price falling to $25,” said Mr Sclavos. “This is a win for patients and for community pharmacy, saving Australians over $200 million each year.”
On the Friday morning of APP2025, the Hon Tim Nicholls MP, Queensland Minister for Health and Ambulance Services, announced that scope of practice services in Queensland will transition to business as usual from 1 July 2025.
“The announcement from Minister Nicholls is warmly welcomed by Queenslanders,” said Mr Sclavos.
“The permanent embedding of services for these 16 everyday, acute conditions is a game-changer for Queensland patients and will provide greater certainty for community pharmacists to offer these services.”
The APP2025 Trade Exhibition — the largest pharmacy trade exhibition in the Southern Hemisphere — featured over 250 suppliers across more than 450 trade stands. The exhibition floor was abuzz from the moment the doors opened, showcasing the latest products and innovative services in the industry.
A highlight of the conference was celebrating the outstanding achievements in community pharmacy during the Opening Plenary, where two prestigious awards were announced:
• 2025 Guild Pharmacy of the Year: Complete Care Pharmacy, Rosny Park, Tasmania
• 2024 Intern of the Year: Chloe Kappel, LiveLife Pharmacy, Townsville, Queensland
“These awards recognise commitment and excellence, inspiring the wider community through the impact that community pharmacy has on the patients we serve,” said Mr Sclavos.
With APP2025 now wrapped up, planning is already underway for APP2026, which will take place from 12–14 March 2026. The Guild looks forward to welcoming delegates back for another unforgettable event!
