A Cairns local, Prof Twomey told the newspaper the new appointment would give Australia an opportunity to help shape international debates and policies on medication — and would help him address the nation’s healthcare shortcomings.
"This opportunity gives me access to be able to talk to the heads of pharmacy from the developed world and to have conversations about benchmarking, so we can drive reform and increase accessibility for consumers right around the world," he told his local newspaper.
"When we look at Australians who are falling through the cracks, where when we look at situations where our healthcare system does not meet the expectations of the people it's designed to serve, we can look overseas."
It is unrealistic to promise that Australia alone is going to bring back manufacturing of all of the medications that it requires.
Prof Trent Twomey
Prof Twomey also said a particular focus would be on ageing and how to help people in Australia age well, and at home.
"We can look to countries like Japan and Germany that have a higher average age than we do and learn from the entrepreneurialism, and learn from their mistakes," he said.
Japan's model
Prof Twomey told the newspaper he was also fascinated by the way Japan uses technology to help people age at home.
"And community pharmacies in Japan have great programs where they work with families that are often busy ... help those families gear up for their loved ones that are ageing.
"That is something this country is already starting to grapple with in the next five to 10 years in Australia, we do not have enough beds in residential aged care facilities for the number of people that are going to require one."
Prof Twomey told the newspaper a lack of sovereign supply of medication would also feature among his conversations with World Pharmacy Council colleagues.
"Just as we have defence, we need to ensure with our allies, we shore up manufacturing for the use of our sovereign need, of our joint citizens," he said.
"It is unrealistic to promise that Australia alone is going to bring back manufacturing of all of the medications that it requires.
"Australians are all too aware of the fragility of our supply chains in the manufacturing space because of a handful of critical minerals.
"And there is the exact same problem in the medication space," he said.
Just as we have defence, we need to ensure with our allies, we shore up manufacturing for the use of our sovereign need, of our joint citizens.
Prof Trent Twomey
"If something happens either with a natural disaster or something happens with global instability such as a trade war or military war, we could find that certain everyday medications become unavailable because countries will restrict the supply of critical medicines just as they will restrict the supply of critical minerals.
"And that is something that our allies are really struggling with because that is a national security issue not just the failure of a power grid or the failure of a water grid, but the failure of being able to supply medications for the management of chronic diseases is going to be something we will grapple with in the very near future."
