The Pharmacy Guild of Australia has plans to launch its own website to help people find stores stocked with rapid antigen tests after witnessing "market failure" and the competition watchdog's crackdown on price gouging.
Guild president Trent Twomey said social media and alternative websites were "causing more harm than good" for consumers trying to find a rapid antigen test (RAT).
"We need a single source of truth on where you can get these," Professor Twomey said.
"Rather than driving all around or monitoring Facebook accounts or waiting for friends to send a text message, you'll be able check in real-time on that website.
The website is expected to go live next Monday.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has received more than 1,800 consumer reports about the self-administered testing kits since Christmas Day with 90 per cent concerned about pricing.
Some smaller retailers have been charging upwards of $70 for the kits, which have wholesale prices ranging between $3.95 and $11.45.
'Jacked up' prices and outstripped supply
On Monday, federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said 5.6 million tests had been provided to aged care facilities, and that 70 million more would arrive "over the coming weeks and months".
Professor Twomey said it was not until late December that national cabinet formed a consensus view to "acknowledge rapid antigen tests".
"It was too late," he said.
He said that had resulted in a "market failure" because demand was outstripping supply.
"It's a lot easier for an importer to import a pallet or a shipping container to one client than it is to break it up and send it to a whole range of small retailers," he said.
Professor Twomey said some smaller pharmacies had delayed ordering test kits due to "jacked up" wholesale prices.
"Small neighbourhood consumer pharmacies are saying, 'I would love to order this in but I'm sick of getting abused for something that's out of my control'."
From next Monday up to 10 free rapid antigen tests will be made available for concession cardholders.
Rush on millions of tests
Gold Coast company Hough Pharma imports rapid antigen tests for retailers like Woolworths and Coles.
"We had two planes come in last week and those products are being moved out as we speak, and we have another couple of planes coming in this week," chief executive Greg Hough said.
Mr Hough said state and federal governments' decision making around RATs moved too "slowly on accepting what the rest of world acknowledged some 12 months ago".
"There's been this huge demand and we weren't ready," he said.
He said the recommended price from "credible retailers" should be about $30 for a pack of two tests and $50 for a five pack.
"Albeit that we've had increases in shipping because that's gone through the roof."
ACCC chair Rod Sims said prices above $20 per test are "extremely concerning and, as I say, above $30 [is] just beyond outrageous".
Government must 'wait in line'
Mr Hough said claims that tests had been redistributed to the federal government were untrue and it would "have to wait in line with everybody else".
"We have informed the government that they will be in line when they put their purchase orders in," he said.
Mr Hough acknowledged supply had not kept up with demand but he said over the next few weeks the latest outbreak would peak and people would be "less likely to panic".
Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt says there are "signs of a plateauing" but it is too early to determine when Omicron will peak.
